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1712 1912 

Kensington 
Congregational Church 



ORGANIZED DECEMBER 12. 1712 



KENSINGTON, CONNECTICUT 
JUNE 29th, 30th, JULY 1st, 1912 



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1712 1912 

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Kensington 
Congregational Church 



ORGANIZED DECEMBER 12. 1712 



KENSINGTON, CONNECTICUT 
JUNE 29th, 30th, JULY 1st, 1912 



CONTENTS 



The Programme .... 
The Anniversary in Narrative 
The Sermon, 

Rev. Cornehus W. Morrow, D.D. . 
Address at the Christian Lane Cemetery, 

Deacon David N. Camp 
The History of the Kensington Church, 

Rev. Carleton Hazen 
The Ministers of the Kensington Church, 

Hon. Livingston W. Cleaveland 
Historical Sketch of the Sunday School, 

Mr. Arthur W. Upson 

Rev. Horace Hooker, D.D., 

Rev. Sherrod Soule 
The Glory of an Old New England Town, 

Rev. Francis E. Clark, D.D. 
Anniversary Committees 
The Pastors ..... 
The Deacons .... 

The Sunday School Superintendents 
Members Received .... 



Page 

7 

15 

22 

30 

33 

64 

85 

95 

98 
104 
105 
106 
107 
108 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



The Meeting House 

The Place of Worship 

Rev. Cornehus W. Morrow, D.D. 

Rev. Magee Pratt 

Rev. Henry L. Hutchins . 

The Home of Rev. William Burnham 

The Home of Rev. Samuel Clark 

Rev. Benoni Upson, D.D. 

The Home of Rev. Benoni Upson, D.D 

The Home of the Ministers since 1870 

Rev. Royal Robbins 

The Home of Rev. Royal Robbins 

Rev. Elias B. Hillard 

The Soldier's Monument 

Rev. Alfred T. Waterman 

Rev. James B. Cleaveland 

Hon. Livingston W. Cleaveland 

Rev. Arthur J. Benedict . 

The Chapel 

Rev. William B. Tuthill . 

Rev. A. Ferdinand Travis 

Rev. Edgar H. Olmstead 

Rev. Carleton Hazen 

The Meeting House Seating Plan, 1815 



Frontispiece 
7 
22 
22 
22 
30 
30 
38 
46 
46 
54 
54 
62 
62 
70 
70 
70 
78 
78 
94 
94 
94 
94 

102 and 103 



Programme 



nr 



SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 29 

Pilgrimage to Ancient Cemeteries 

Christian Lane Cemetery 

2.15 o'clock 

REV. CARLETON HAZEN Presiding 



HYMN 



I 



O God, beneath Thy guiding hand 
Our exiled fathers crossed the sea; 

And when they trod the wintry strand, 

With prayer and psalm they worshipped Thee. 

II 

Thou heard'st, well pleased, the song, the prayer; 

Thy blessing came; and still its power 
Shall onward through all ages bear 

The memory of that holy hour. 

PRAYER Rev. Henry W. Maier 



III 

Laws, freedom, truth, and faith in God 
Came with those exiles o'er the waves; 

And where their pilgrim feet have trod, 

The God they trusted guards their graves. 

IV 

And here Thy name, O God of love. 
Their children's children shall adore 

Till these eternal hills remove. 

And spring adorns the earth no more. 



ADDRESS Dea. David N. Camp, New Britain 
ADDRESS Mr. George Dudley Seymour, New Haven, 

a descendant of Rev. William Burnham 



HYMN 



I 



Our God, our help in ages past. 
Our hope for years to come. 

Our shelter from the stormy blast. 
And our eternal home: 

II 

Before the hills in order stood. 
Or earth received her frame. 

From everlasting Thou art God. 
To endless years the same. 



Ill 

Time, like an ever-rolling stream. 

Bears all its sons away; 
They fly forgotten, as a dream 

Dies at the opening day. 

IV 

Our God, our help in ages pait. 
Our hope for years to come, 

Be Thou our guard while troubles last 
And our eternal home: 



BENEDICTION 



The East Cemetery 



4.00 o'clock 



HYMN 



For all the saints who from their labors rest, 
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed. 
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 

II 

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their 

might; 
Thou wast their Captain in the well-fought fight; 
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. 



Ill 



O may Thy soldier?, faithful, true and bold, 
Fight as Thy saints who nobly fought of old, 
.And win with them the victor''! crown of gold. 



IV 

O blest communion, fellowship divine. 
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; 
Yet all ar<? one in Thee, for all are Thine. 



From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast. 
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, 
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghoat. 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 



ADDRESS Rev. Frank G. Woodworth, D. D., Tougaloo University, Miss., 
great-grandson of Rev. Benoni Upson, D. D. 

ADDRESS Mr. Harry Pelham Robbins, New York, 

grandson of Rev. Royal Robbins 

PRAYER Rev. Arthur J. Benedict, Arizona 

HYMN Written by Rev. Royal Robbins for the two hundredth anniversary of the 
settlement of Farmington, 1840 

(Stanzas 1, 2, 8, 9) 



O'er these fair plains the years have rolled, 
Till twice an age its tale has told 
Since first our s'res, Heaven's favored race, 
Sought here their home and resting-place. 
The ages pass, but God remains, — 
We'll praise Him in our grateful strains. 



Ill 



Fourscore and four our fathers were — 

A little flock, but strong in vcayer; 

Bright beamed their eye of faith and love, 

As fi.\ed its gaze on things above. 

The ages pass, our God remains,^ 

Our fathers' God. o'er heaven He reigns. 



II 



The day and scene, in history's page, 
Afresh our hearts and thoughts engage, 
When on this spot the pilgrim band 
In faith gave each to each his hand. 
The ages pass, but God remains, — 
Our Savior God, o'er earth He reigns. 



IV 



Now grown in numbers to a host. 
Whilst circling towns their parent boast. 
We own with grateful hearts the care 
Which saved the flock from every snare. 
The ^ges pass, but God remains, — 
Our God and theirs, o'er time He reigns> 



Sweet plains, with peace and plenty crowned! 

Once the wild native's hunting ground ! 

No trace ye bear of savage foes: 

So changed — save where their bones repose! 
The ages pass, but God remains, — 
Who works all changes, or restrains. 



VII 

Here freedom, laws, and justice live — 
Here schools their blest instruction give; 
The Sabbath's holy rest is here. 
And temple-throngs to God draw near. 
The ages pa.ss, but God remains,— 
Whom He transfers. He too sustains. 



VI 

Reap we the fruit of all the.r toil, — 
Our cheerful homes, our fertile soil. 
Our dear dome.stic altars, where 
We pour affection's hallowed prayer. 
The ages pass, but God remain.^, — 
Whom grace selects. His power maintains 



viir 

Then will we hold in solemn trust 
Their chartered rights, as honored dust, 
And best their virtues shall proclaim. 
As on our hearts we bind the same. 
The ages pass, but God remains, — 
We'll give Him praise In endless strains 



IX 

Time bears us on to where they rest 
In the long slumber of the blest; 
There may our dust in peace be found. 
When the last trump shall rend the ground. 

The ages pass, but God remains, — 

O'er His eternity He reigns. 



BENEDICTION 



SATURDAY EVENING 

8.00 o'clock 

Reception in the Church Parlors 

All friends of the Church are invited 



9.40 to 10.00 o'clock 
Organ Recital in the Church, Mr. Robert A. Squire, Meride 



10 

SUNDAY, JUNE 30 
Morning Worship, 10.45 o'clock 

ORGAN PRELUDE "Largo" Handel 

Mrs. Carleton Hazen 
DOXOLOGY 

INVOCATION AND LORD'S PRAYER The Pastor 

GLORIA PATRI 

RESPONSIVE READING Portion 24 

HYMN 101 "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty" 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OFFERING 

SCRIPTURE LESSON 

PRAYER 

RESPONSE "Still, still with Thee" 

HYMN 894 "Mighty God, while angels bless Thee" 

SERMON "The Mission of the Church of Jesus" 
Text: Sayings of Jesus, Logion 5 

Rev. Cornelius W. Morrow, D. D., Fisk University, Tennessee 

HYMN 776 "The Church's one Foundation" 
BAPTISM AND RECEPTION OF MEMBERS 

COMMUNION 

Ministers, William B. Tuthill, A. Ferdinand Travis 
Deacons, Samuel A. Hart, Sidney M. Cowles 
Former Deacons, Henry M. Cowles, Leander A. Bunce 
Assistants, Claude W. Stevens, Thomas W. Emerson 

HYMN 693 "I love Thy kingdom. Lord" 

BENEDICTION 

INTERMISSION 



11 

SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMEMORATION 

THOMAS W. EMERSON, Superintendent 



HYMN 508 "Shepherd of tender youth' 



PRAYER 



HYMN 537 "For the beauty of the earth' 



HISTORICAL SKETCH of the Sunday School, 

Mr. Arthur W. Upson, New Britain 



PRIMARY SONG "Building day by day' 



ADDRESS "Children then and now," Rev. William B. Tuthill, Portland, Me. 



HYMN 438 "Savior teach me day by day' 



BENEDICTION 



12 

SUNDAY EVENING 
7.00 o'clock 

Commemoration of Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor 

LOUIS R. GOODRICH, President 
REV. ARTHUR J. BENEDICT, Founder 

ORGAN AND PIANO PRELUDE "Der Freischutz" Weber 

Mrs. Sidney M. Cowles, Mrs. Carleton Hazen 

HYMN 115 "The King of Love my Shepherd is" 

RESPONSIVE READING Portion 5 

HYMN 570 "Go forward, Christian soldier" 

PRAYER Rev. A. Ferdinand Travis 

HYMN 534 "0 Savior, precious Savior" 

GREETING, Mr. F. C. Bidwell, Hartford, 

President of the Connecticut Christian Endeavor Union 

ADDRESS Rev. Francis E. Clark, D. D., 

President of the United Society of Christian Endeavor 

HYMN 499 "Master, no offering" 

ADDRESS "The Church and the Community," 

Rev. William A. Bartlett, D.D. Hartford 

HYMN 446 "My gracious Lord, I own Thy right" 
BENEDICTION 



13 

MONDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 1 
2.30 o'clock 

REV. CORNELIUS W. MORROW, D. D., Presiding 

PRELUDE Grand March g^^^^ 

Mrs. Carleton Hazen 

HYMN 159 "O God. the Rock of Ages" 

DEVOTIONAL SERVICE Rev. Samuel A. Fiske, Berlin 

HYMN 692 "Glorious things of Thee are spoken" 

THE HISTORY OF THE KENSINGTON CHURCH 

Rev. Carleton Hazen, Pastor 
HYMN 695 "O where are kings and empires now" 

THE MINISTERS OF THE KENSINGTON CHURCH 

Hon. Livingston W. Cleaveland, New Haven 

HYMN "O'er these fair plains the years have rolled" Tune: St. Catherine, 
page 20 (Stanzas 1,6-9) 

GREETINGS 

Farmington, the Mother, Rev. Quincy Blakely 
New Britain First, a daughter, Rev. Henry W. Maier 
Worthington, a daughter. Rev. Samuel A. Fiske 
Middletown, Rev. Azel W. Hazen, D. D., 

invited to become pastor of the Kensington Church, 1867 
Kensington Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. Charles S. Ball 
The Missionary Society of Connecticut, Rev. Sherrod Soule 

HYMN 770 "Blest be the tie that binds" 

BENEDICTION 

Supper and Social Hour The Women of the Church, hostesses 



14 

MONDAY EVENING 

7.30 o'clock 

ORGAN AND PIANO PRELUDE " Rondo Capriccioso " Mendelssohn 

Mrs. Sidney M. Cowles, Mrs. Carleton Hazen 

HYMN 698 "A mighty fortress is our God" 

DEVOTIONAL SERVICE Rev. Edgar H. Olmstead, Greenfield Hill 

ANTHEM "Father, Thy children bow in adoration" Sir Arthur Sullivan 

HYMN 562 "The Son of God goes forth to war" 

MESSAGES FROM FORMER MINISTERS 

1879 Cornelius Wortendyke Morrow, D. D. 1882 
1882 Arthur Jared Benedict - - 1889 

1892 Magee Pratt - - - 1896 

HYMN 94 "O Holy Father, who hast led Thy children" 

1897 William Bodle Tuthill - - 1899 

1900 Alonzo Ferdinand Travis - - 1904 

1904 Edgar Hammond Olmstead - 1908 

1909 Carleton Hazen, presiding 

HYMN 779 "Hail Thou God of grace and glory" 

PRAYER AND BENEDICTION 



ForiTier Ministers Deceased 

1712 William Burnham - 1750 

1756 Samuel Clark - - 1775 

1779 Benoni Upson, D. D. - 1826 

1816 Royal Robbins - - 1859 

1860 Elias Brewster Hillard - 1867 

1868 Abraham Chittenden Baldwin 1869 

1869 Alfred Tileston Waterman 1874 

1875 James Bradford Cleaveland 1879 

♦ ♦ ♦ * * 

1889 Henry Learned Hutchins 1892 



THE ANNIVERSARY IN NARRATIVE 

At the old cemetery in Christian Lane, where the first min- 
ister and many of the forefathers were buried, the celebration 
of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Kensington Congre- 
gational Church began on Saturday afternoon, June 29th, 1912. 
The date was chosen as a more convenient season than Decem- 
ber 10th, the real anniversary day. 

A large number of people gathered from near and far, many 
having been present two years earlier when Emma Hart Willard 
Chapter, D. A. R., having restored the old cemetery from a 
condition of utter neglect, held commemorative exercises; and 
many words of appreciation were spoken of this, the crowning 
memorial work for the town of Berlin of this patriotic body of 
women, but for which the gathering on the present occasion 
would hardly have been possible. The huge boulder near the 
gateway bears the names of about forty early families of the 
settlement, and upon one of its faces are grouped the names of 
the seven "pillars of the church," as follows: Burnham, Lee, 
Judd, Seymour, North, Hart, Cowles. In the field adjoining 
may be traced the outline of the fort where the early settlers 
found safety from the attacks of the Indians, and on the slope 
a few rods away is the site of the first meeting house, where 
a granite marker was placed a number of years ago by the 
Ruth Hart Chapter, D. A. R., of Meriden. 

The company joined in the hymn, "0 God, beneath Thy 
guiding hand," and Rev. Henry W. Maier of the First Church, 
New Britain, led in fitting and impressive invocation. An 
address was given by Hon. David N. Camp of New Britain, 
who had been the speaker two years earlier and whose knowl- 
edge of the history of this region is probably unsurpassed. 
Mr. George Dudley Seymour of New Haven spoke briefly, 
representing the descendants of Rev. William Burnham, the 
first minister, and also of Richard Seymour, the leader of the 
Great Swamp Settlement. After singing "0 God, our help in 
ages past," Rev. Carleton Hazen pronounced the benediction. 



16 

Thence the pilgrimage continued to the East Cemetery in 
Kensington, in which are the graves of the three succeeding 
ministers, Samuel Clark, Benoni Upson, D.D., and Royal Rob- 
bins, whose pastorates, joined with that of William Burnham, 
cover a period of one hundred and forty-seven years. Of this 
fact Rev. Royal Robbins speaks as follows in his farewell ser- 
mon: "My settlement was June 26th, 1816, just forty-three 
years ago this day. There has been no dismission of a minister 
until now, which is a rare instance of stability in the pastoral 
relation in the history of our churches and societies; as also the 
instance is rare of so prolonged pastorates in succession. .... 
There have been instances of long pastorates in individual, 
isolated cases, but long pastorates in succession with no dis- 
missals are not often, I think, to be found." 

The hymn, "For all the saints who from their labors rest," 
was sung, and prayer was offered by Rev. Arthur J. Benedict. 
Rev. Frank G. Woodworth, D. D., representing the descend- 
ants of Rev. Benoni Upson, D. D., gave a brief address rich with 
allusions to his notable ancestor, whose pastorate was longer 
than any other in the history of the church. A telegram from 
Mr. Harry P. Robbins, a grandson of Rev. Royal Robbins, 
who had expected to be present and speak, expressed the great- 
est regret and disappointment that he was unavoidably detained, 
and contained these sentences: "When we hear so much of 
social and political unrest, the celebration of the two hundredth 
anniversary of a country church is, in my opinion, a very 
reassuring incident. My father and I join in best regards to 
you and your committee." A telegram was also received later 
from Mr. Royal Robbins, another grandson of Rev. Royal 
Robbins. The hymn written by Rev. Royal Robbins for the 
two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Farmington 
in 1840, with its refrain, "The ages pass, but God remains, — 
O'er His eternity He reigns," followed by the benediction, very 
fittingly concluded the afternoon program. At both cemeteries 
the singing of these choice hymns, led by a cornet, was a notable 
and impressive feature. 

Saturday evening in the church parlors a reception to 
visitors and former pastors was largely attended. Light re- 
freshments were served, and at the close the ushers led the 
way to the audience room, where a brief organ recital was 
given by Mr. Robert A. Squire of Meriden upon the sweet- 



17 

toned organ which is one of the most valued possessions of 
the church. 

On Sunday morning the extreme heat of the preceding 
afternoon had abated and the sun rose upon a perfect summer 
day. Refreshed by this change the residents of Kensington 
and their guests gathered at the church in numbers which filled 
it to the doors. The pastor, Rev. Carleton Hazen, conducted 
the opening worship. Rev. Francis E. Clark, D. D., of Boston, 
read the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah and offered the prayer, 
which was wonderfully impressive. One sentence breathes 
the spirit of the prayer: "As good as the past has been, may the 
future, Father, be even better." 

Rev. Cornelius W. Morrow, D. D., who came to Kensing- 
ton in 1879, immediately after his graduation from Union 
Theological Seminary, and whose pastorate was the earliest of 
any living minister, preached the sermon. Those in the con- 
gregation who remembered the eloquence and enthusiasm of 
his earlier years felt that Dr. Morrow had lost none of his fervor, 
but that the varied experiences of a life full of good works had 
strengthened and deepened his power of appeal for the truth. 

Following the sermon, the pastor baptized an infant and 
received four persons into the fellowship of the church. Rev. 
William B. Tuthill and Rev. A. F. Travis conducted the com- 
munion service, a tender, solemn sacrament, never to be for- 
gotten by the large number who were partakers and witnesses. 
Two former deacons, Henry M. Cowles of Southington and 
Leander A. Bunce of New Britain, assisted the present deacons. 
The Worthington Church graciously loaned its communion 
service for the occasion. 

The Sunday School hour was occupied by a number of 
hymns, one by the primary department; an historical address 
by Mr. Arthur W. Upson, a former superintendent; and an 
interesting address to the children by Rev. William B. Tuthill 
on "Children Then and Now." At this session Thomas W. 
Emerson, the superintendent, presided. 

Sunday evening was given to a Christian Endeavor rally. 
Louis R. Goodrich, the president of the Kensington society, 
greeted the assembly and introduced the presiding officer. Rev. 
Arthur J. Benedict, now of Pearce, Arizona, who while pastor 
of the Kensington Church organized in 1883 the first "full- 
fledged" Christian Endeavor Society in Connecticut. The 



18 

president of the State Union, Mr. F. C. Bidwell, was present 
with greetings, and a large representation of Christian Endeavor 
Societies from neighboring churches was gathered, eager to 
hear Rev. Francis E. Claris, D. D., the founder of Christian 
Endeavor. It was estimated that there were four hundred 
persons present. 

In introducing Dr. Clark Mr. Benedict said, "I envy not 
the man upon whose head rests the crown of temporal authority; 
I envy not a king or the President of the United States; but I 
do feel like envying the man who sits here tonight, who has 
the affection of young people the world over. He has won by 
the power of his personality something greater than can be 
told. He has as no other man the tender love of a great 
multitude." 

Dr. Clark said that the Christian Endeavor idea was not 
a recent one. "Back in Bible times, when Andrew found his 
own brother Simon and brought him to Jesus, he was doing 
Christian Endeavor work, bringing some one else to the Master." 
Later in the address he said, "It is not a society we laud tonight, 
not a church two hundred years old we praise, but it is the 
great Head of the church and the society we would praise. 
We must love Him who first loved us and give to Him what He 
desires of us. If we do this, I am sure this church will live 
another two hundred years." 

Rev. George H. Hubbard of Foochow, China, a missionary 
of the A. B. C. F. M., who introduced the Christian Endeavor 
idea in that far away land, brought greetings from the seven 
hundred Endeavor Societies in China. Mr. Hubbard modeled 
the society in Foochow from the constitution of the Kensington 
society. 

The closing address of the evening was by Rev. William 
A. Bartlett, D. D., of Hartford, on the subject, "The Church 
and the Community." Dr. Bartlett said, "Its purpose must 
be to do good, to save, to protect, to teach and to feed." In 
closing he said, "In the old cemeteries visited yesterday sleep 
many who have worshipped in this church in times past. This 
is a sweet and solemn time. We are stepping over the threshold 
of two centuries. Let us go forth into this new era with our 
faces turned toward God, determined to do his will." After 
the hjrmn, "My gracious Lord, I own Thy right," the services 
of the day closed with the benediction by Rev. George H. 
Hubbard. 



19 

Monday morning was left free for social enjoyment, and 
many availed themselves of the opportunity to visit the his- 
torical exhibit in the gallery of the church. The original 
records of the church, society and Sunday-school; a type- written 
copy of the church records made and presented by Miss Susan 
A. Peck of Plain ville; the ancient pewter tankard used in the 
first meeting house; the silver communion service presented 
in 1793 by Dr. Joseph Wells; the pulpit desk and communion 
table used in the time of Rev. Royal Robbins; a writing desk 
of Rev. Benoni Upson, and an inventory of his estate; a large 
flag made by the women of the church in 1863; a collection of 
hymn books used in the church, one as early as 1785; a portrait 
in oil of Rev. Royal Robbins, loaned by Mr. Henry Robbins; 
a file of manuscript sermons of Rev. Royal Robbins, including 
his farewell sermon; — these were some of the interesting things 
shown. 

The historical committee had also procured and placed 
in the parlors the portraits of the deceased ministers, except 
the two earliest, of whom there is no known likeness, several 
being gifts from descendants of the pastors. Upon the south 
wall of the audience room a memorial tablet has been erected, 
carved in oak from a timber of the first minister's house, bear- 
ing this inscription: 

THE KENSINGTON 

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 

1712-1912 

In the corresponding space on the other side of the room 
the names of the ministers are engrossed and framed in the 
same ancient wood. 

Monday afternoon the public services in the church were 
resumed. After the organ prelude and the opening hymn, 
worship was led by Rev. Samuel A. Fiske of the Worthington 
Church. The history of the Kensington Church was given 
by the pastor, Rev. Carleton Hazen. Its reading occupied a 
little more than an hour, but it proved of such great interest 
that it held the audience without apparent fatigue, and con- 
tained many details never before gathered together, for the 
discovery and presenting of which the writer places the church 
under great and lasting obligation. 



20 

Honorable Livingston W. Cleaveland of New Haven, a 
son of one of the pastors, followed with an address upon the 
Ministers of the Kensington Church. This subject could hardly 
have been assigned to any person who better appreciated both 
the humorous and the serious side of the New England minis- 
ters' life. It sparkled with fun, abounded in tender allusions 
to the patient, self-sacrificing work of these good men, and was 
rich in valuable historical material gathered from many sources. 
In connection with his work upon this paper Mr. Cleaveland 
prepared a very careful and extensive bibliogi'aphy, which is 
given to the church for preservation. 

There followed brief greetings from Rev. Quincy Blakely 
of the Mother Church in Farmington; Rev. Henry W. Maier 
of the First Church, New Britain; Rev. Samuel A. Fiske of the 
Worthington Church in Berlin; Rev. Azel W. Hazen of Middle- 
town; Rev. C. S. Ball of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Kensington; and Rev. Sherrod Soule of the Missionary Society 
of Connecticut, who gave a sketch of Rev. Horace Hooker, a 
native of Kensington. The long but intensely interesting 
session closed with the hymn, "Blest be the tie that binds," 
and the benediction by Dr. Morrow, who presided during the 
afternoon. 

The attendance upon this session included the pastors of 
nearly all the churches in the Central Association, all of the 
former pastors of the Kensington Church now living and many 
representatives of churches near and far. It was indeed a 
notable assembly. 

After its close the women of the Kensington Church were 
hostesses at supper to about two hundred and twenty-five 
guests. Grace was said by Rev. Magee Pratt, and the spirit 
of Christian fellowship and love abounded. 

The session of Monday evening brought the Bi-Centennial 
to a close. It was devotional, yet designed to be reminiscent 
and in somewhat lighter vein, and was attended chiefly by 
present and former residents of Kensington. The pastors were 
seated together upon the platform, and the church rejoiced to 
see gathered into one group these men who have been its leaders, 
each one of whom brought his message of love and encourage- 
ment. 

And so in this story of the Anniversary we try to tell some- 
thing of two hundred years — to show the power and truth of 
the lives of those who have guided the church from its pioneer 



21 

struggle down through the centuries to the present — to hear 
again the voices of those righteous men whose effectual and 
fervent prayer has availed much — to hold up the example of 
those faithful lives as an inspiration for our own devotion and 
effort for the church and the kingdom of God. 



"To her my cares and toils be given, 
Till toils and cares shall end." 



THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS 

Sermon by Rev. Cornelius W. Morrow, D.D. 

"Raise the stone and there shalt thou find me, cleave the 
wood and there am I." 

These suggestive words are found in a Greek papyrus con- 
taining sayings of Jesus, a papyrus probably dating as far back 
as the year 140 of our era. It was discovered by Grenfell and 
Hunt, two Egyptologists, at the little hamlet, Behnesa, where 
once stood the flourishing Roman city, Oxyrhynchus, "one of 
the chief centers of early Christianity in Egypt," 120 miles 
south of Cairo. 

I am using these words as meaning that Christ is in all 
the normal activities of men, — in our industrial life, in our 
political life, in our professional life, in our life in the home, — 
as truly as in our religious life in the restricted sense of this 
expression, and that he is to be sought and honored in all the 
normal activities of man. 

The theme to which your attention is asked is the mission 
of the church of Jesus. Let us reverently seek to get clearly 
in mind the end which our Lord would have his church keep in 
view and strive to realize. 

To study a person, or an institution, intelligently we must 
have ideals, or standards. We cannot judge without princi- 
ples upon which to base our decision. Now a Christian church 
is to be estimated from the point of view of the program of 
Jesus. This is evident in the very name Christian, — that is 
to say, Christlike. A worthy church is one that follows the 
Divine Master. 

Proposing in a reverent spirit of inquiry to regard the 
church from such an angle, the question arises, what was the 
aim in life, the mission, of the Lord? 

He plainly taught that he came to establish the Kingdom 
of God, or of Heaven, — the terms are synonymous; and there- 
fore, the question arises, what did He mean by that kingdom? 




RKV. CORNELIUS W MORROW D.U 




REV. MAGEE PRATT 



REV. HENRY L. HUTCHINS 



23 

Now, undoubtedly He meant God's reign in the hearts of 
men. Unmistakably He had reference to their spiritual life 
and, unquestionably. He had reference to their personal relation 
to God. He not only recognized, but stressed man's responsi- 
bility as an individual; but, on the other hand, he did not fail 
clearly to emphasize the fact of man's being of necessity a 
social creature, as in the Parable of the Prodigal Son and of 
the Good Samaritan. Man lives in relations with his fellows; 
he is a son, a husband, a father, a citizen, a business man, a 
professional man. As such Christ beheld him, and enjoined 
upon him the duty and privilege of living in those relations the 
only truly moral, satisfactory and triumphant life, which is the 
life of righteousness. 

There is no good ground for holding that He aimed to 
set up a political kingdom, but He did purpose to introduce 
and to make supreme a moral kingdom which should furnish 
the form and spirit of all the thoughts and activities of men in 
all their relations both to God and to one another. "Jesus 
differed," a recent writer rightly says, "from the apocalyptists 
in looking not for the destruction of the present world, but for 
its absorption to a large extent by the new kingdom which was 
near at hand." 

Even were this teaching not explicitly found in the life 
and words of the Great Master, it would be there implicitly, 
if His doctrine be true; for man is not an individual in any but 
a very restricted sense. When you think of him as an individ- 
ual self, — i. e., by analyzing him as a psychical being, throw 
out all the elements that belong to him as a social self, — you 
have what Aristotle would call a beast; indeed, something less 
than most beasts, for almost all beasts have some social char- 
acteristics. Take from a man his social characteristics and 
you remove from him his love, his language and his religion; 
and that is not all you remove from him. The truth is that we 
are not regarding concrete reality when we speak of man and 
society; as a matter of fact, it is always man in society. He 
is an integral part of society. He cannot exist sundered from 
his fellows; and as he withdraws from them he commits hara- 
kiri. Even for him to think much of himself as separated from 
others may be an evil thing, as it may result in a sickly, pietistic 
frame of mind and a feeling of irresponsibility with respect to 
those obligations which devolve upon him as in brotherly rela- 
tions to others. 



24 

Now, as far as Jesus is concerned, He not only recognized 
man as a social being, but enlarged and deepened the concep- 
tion of him as such. The religious views of the ancient Hebrews 
were racially narrow. It was of course under Christ's inspira- 
tion that St. Paul conquered his race prejudice and went to 
the Gentiles with his message of salvation. Today the dis- 
ciples of Christ are becoming impressed by the momentous 
truth, that Christianity is not only very extensive, but very 
intensive, not only comprehensive, but minutely particular. 
We see that it proposes not only to touch everybody, but to 
breathe its spirit of love into every legitimate human relation. 
It proposes to be supreme in human life down to its every 
detail. We are understanding that we cannot eat and drink 
to the glory of God, if we eat adulterated food and drink water 
with typhoid bacilli in it; and, further, that we must exert our- 
selves that our brothers shall, in this sense, also eat and drink 
to the glory of God. 

Christ's program does not propose the establishment of 
a political kingdom, but it does propose the destruction, root 
and branch, of every political kingdom that is immoral, and 
to see to it that every political kingdom in all its elements is 
thoroughly Christian. It brooks no opposition in any respect 
in any human relation. 

It seems to me plain that we need have no hesitation in 
saying that the mission of the Church of Jesus is to further, 
both directly and indirectly, the kingdom of God in all the ways 
in which the church can promote righteousness in human 
relations. 

Both directly and indirectly. At this point there is dan- 
ger of making a serious blunder. It is true that Jesus wrought 
some of His greatest achievements indirectly. He did not 
directly attack slavery, intemperance, and other rampant 
social evils of His day, yet His spirit and teaching have been 
the strongest forces on earth against them. For not making 
the direct attack He had good ground. Had He not hidden 
truth in parables, had He not struck in a cloaked way at many 
of the glaring vices of His times, it is not venturing too far to 
say He would not have been permitted to preach even the 
three and a half short years; and St. Paul and many of His 
successors had to be on their guard lest they should, by indis- 
cretion, lose invaluable opportunities to sow Gospel-seed. 
But this fact should not be made the basis for any one of our 



25 

churches today here in America refraining from direct attack 
upon many social evils, which it can contend against not only 
without sacrifice of opportunity for service, but with increased 
opportunity through thus winning the respect of the community. 

The indirect work of a Christian church may be very 
glorious; and where there is a large measure of the spirit of 
Jesus it must be; and of such indirect work I shall speak in a 
few moments; but, friends, when we pause to reflect do we not 
feel that Jesus, were He here on earth in America today, would 
not be silent on such questions as >vhite slavery, divorce, special 
privileges, graft, bribery, adulterated food, the liquor traffic, 
child labor, the condition of the workingman and of the work- 
ingwoman? Speaking in no uncertain voice on these vital 
matters, which have to do not only with the body politic, but 
with the moral life of the nation, and involve the very existence 
of the church, He might have, perhaps, as nomadic a pastorate 
as He had of old in distant Palestine, but He would not be in 
any danger of being throttled; He could speak out, and He 
would speak out. 

A church as His representative must take a mighty stand 
against flagrant wrongs in the social life about it, and must 
most earnestly and openly, here in America at least, seek to 
righten them; for only thus can it be a real power for right- 
eousness in the community and in the world. 

I say in the world. Speaking of the church in general, 
Rauschenbusch does not misstate when he says that "The 
non-Christian peoples are getting intimate information about 
Christianity as it works in its ovvn home. They travel through 
our slums and inspect Packingtown. They see our poverty 
and our vice, our wealth and our heartlessness, and they like 
their own forms of misery rather better. Our unsettled social 
problems dog the footsteps of the church wherever it goes. 
The social wrongs which we permit at home contradict our 
gospel abroad and debilitate our missionary enthusiasm at 
home." 

He also calls attention to the significant fact (significant 
as having a bearing on some of our national problems, but also 
as having a bearing on questions of world-wide extent) that 
the church in Germany, by its attitude in days gone by to the 
rights of workingmen, has practically lost them all. Now 
they are in the ranks of social democracy, which while admir- 
able in some respects, yet is anti-church, atheistic and material- 



26 

Istic, and, as you know, rapidly growing in numbers and power. 
The workingmen of America are teetering. If the church does 
not nobly, boldly, champion in their behalf the cause of right- 
eousness against injustice and oppression, they will take the 
same attitude as their brethren beyond the seas. And as sure 
as that two plus two make four, the cause of the workingman 
is going to win out in America. It ought to win; but it ought 
to be manifestly espoused by the church. If it is not, then the 
church in this country will be in the desperate condition of the 
church in Germany which, it is to be most devoutly hoped, 
is not too late in its present endeavor to win back what it so 
stupidly and wickedly permitted to slip away; yes, practically 
drove away from the institution supposedly representing the 
Carpenter's Son. I am glad that the church in America is 
awakening to its duty and privilege in this and kindred respects 
and that Stelzle's splendid work in New York City, Graham 
Taylor's in Chicago, and that of other social workers, may be 
regarded as signs of the approach of a thorough-going humane 
movement in the sphere of the industrial life, a movement of 
world-wide reach and power, inspired by the spirit of Christ. 

It should never be forgotten that a true Christian church 
is "the incarnation of the Christ-spirit on earth," and as such 
cannot go sweetly on its isolated way. It must not forget that 
its Lord came in the line of the Hebrew prophets, who were 
social reformers and statesmen, who did very little, if any, 
fighting for the church as an institution, but fought and sacri- 
ficed for righteousness, as set over against oppression, everywhere 
in the social fabric. They were opposed to a religion of 
merely beautiful forms and rites. So was Jesus. A true 
Christian church represents Him. It makes uncompromising 
war on social evils. There is no doubt as to where its minister 
stands. He is outspoken. He does not truckle to the man with 
the gold ring; and he should be able to rejoice in the knowledge 
that his people are with him as he humbly, but boldly, seeks 
to show that he, too, like his great Master, is one of the prophets 
of righteousness. 

A church that realizes the mind of Jesus must, it seems to 
me, avowedly, courageously and untiringly work for the uplift 
of man in all respects. Its spirit should produce all forms of 
philanthropy. It should oppose evil in any direction. As it 
seeks the furtherance of the kingdom of God it should not be 
halted by the charge of stepping outside of its sphere. The 



27 

way in which our courts are run, the way in which our political 
conventions are conducted, the way in which our elections are 
carried on, the way in which business is done in Wall Street 
and elsewhere, — such questions concern the American church 
vitally, for here enters a course of conduct that has its root in 
man's moral nature; and where that is the case the church 
must act or forfeit its right to respect. In fact, when under 
such circumstances it does not act, it so far ceases to be Chris- 
tian. Today in America there is no good excuse for the church's 
not playing a large, aggressive, positive part in the general 
national housecleaning that is already in progress. To do a 
great work for righteousness and through it acquire new life 
and increased influence there is an unparalleled opportunity 
for the church in this country. May this local church, and 
every church in the land, vigorously, outspokenly, directly 
engage in the battle for justice against injustice, honesty 
against dishonesty, purity against impurity, everywhere in 
the life social. Let there be no mincing of words. Rather 
permit the rich young ruler to stay outside of the church than 
to enter it with his gold, to introduce perchance the spirit of 
caste. 

But there is another phase of the mission of a church, 
already referred to, to which I would draw special attention. 
A body of believers, animated by the spirit of Christ, always 
exerts a quiet, indirect, sometimes unconscious, influence, — 
an influence pervasive, transforming and mighty. It thus does 
a work which the human historian cannot put in his annals. 
The record, however, is kept above. Could we read the full 
story of the Kensington church we should be amazed and joyed 
to discover that in hundreds of instances the Christ-spirit 
transfigured human life, while those most concerned were 
perhaps scarcely conscious of the change being wrought in 
them, wholly unaware of the source of the transforming influence. 
Every truly Christian body has its hidden life, precious, fructi- 
fying, not less important than the life that is conspicuous. 
Prayers have been fervently made in this room and elsewhere, 
through the influence of this church, that were never voiced, 
but heard and answered by God. Under the persuasive words 
of the men of faith who have stood in this pulpit, the profound- 
est depths of the souls of many hearers have been stirred and 
a life in Christ begun, the preachers all unconscious of the good 
work wrought by them, perhaps never to know. 



28 

Then, how great, but real and fine that influence of a 
church which has its source in what I might call the mystic 
fellowship of its members. Those spiritually minded people, 
whom we call the Quakers, sometimes meet in a service where 
there are no audible prayers, no reading of the Scriptures, no 
speaking and no music; but to them and to any entering into 
the spirit of such a gathering, there is much uplift of heart and 
resultant strength for living the Christian life. And fellowship 
in every real communion of Christian men and women is spirit- 
ualizing. You and I, and all Christians, are blessed in our 
inner life just by sitting together in heavenly places with Christ 
and in Christ. Does not St. Paul teach us that by meditating 
on Christ we are transformed from glory to glory? The inner, 
secret life of the church is most blessedly and richly fruitful in 
the changes it brings to pass in our spiritual nature. 

I am sure that did we know the heart-life of this church 
in all its height and depth, its length and breadth, we should 
be amazed at what God hath wrought through the instrumen- 
tality of this branch of Zion. Changes in the surface of the 
stream of the life of such an institution may be seen and studied, 
but changes equally as significant go on in the depths belo'X^, 
invisible to human eye. And this life, especially as concerns 
its depths, is not confined to the four walls of the church edifice, 
or to strictly religious exercises, but continues, or flows on, in 
pretty much every turn man's energy may take. "Raise the 
stone and there thou shalt find Me, cleave the wood and there 
am I." The spiritual life of the church does not become extinct 
when we separate at the door of the sanctuary and go forth to 
our tasks in the great work-a-day world. We take it with us. 
It sanctifies all we do; it breathes the spirit of love into all our 
relations with our fellow men. 

So, then, the mission of the church is to represent Christ; 
to do the work He would have done; to further the Kingdom of 
God. The church is to work directly and indirectly. Where- 
ever it can promote the spirit of love, wherever it can further 
the cause of righteousness, there it is to see its field of labor. 

One has well said that "Christianity has called the church 
into existence, not the church Christianity. Great and noble 
has been the mission of the church, blessed and beneficent her 
influence; but the revealed truth entrusted to her keeping is 
greater than herself. She is a witness to her glorified Master, 
and, in the sense of her own dignity, to forget for a moment 



29 

the undivided supremacy of her living Head, is to cut away the 
ground beneath her own feet. The chased and ornamental 
cup is beautiful to the eye, but its use is to convey the water 
ro the parched lips of the dying man. The failing senses of 
the suffering wretch will not heed the beauty of the cup, if it 
be empty of the living water. The glory of the church is in 
the faith committed to her charge." 

And what is that faith? Not merely an abstract creed, but 
a living faith which moves men to organize themselves into 
churches, not simply in order to establish churches, but because 
through the agency of the churches they can co-operantly, as 
earnest, ardent, tireless followers of Christ, further the inter- 
ests of the kingdom of God, — even righteousness in all the 
social relations of humanity. 

My dear friends, for two hundred years the Kensington 
Church has been an organization loyal to its Glorious Head; 
and therefore, as we think of its future, we cannot doubt its 
continued devotion to Him; aye, we believe that with widened 
vision it will stand in this community for what is best and 
noblest, touching and transforming life in more directions and 
with greater particularity, helping, with increasing effective- 
ness, to usher in the great day when upon even the bells of 
the horses shall be inscribed the words, "Holy unto Jehovah." 



ADDRESS AT THE CHRISTIAN LANE CEMETERY 

Deacon David N. Camp 

The early settlers of the Connecticut Colony were not 
only persons of strong religious faith and decided political 
opinion, but among them were men of unbounded enterprise. 
The first settlement of Hartford and Wethersfield had hardly 
been made and rude cabins erected, when inhabitants of these 
settlements, in 1639, petitioned the General Court "for some 
enlargement of accommodations at Unxos Sepos." The next 
year the grant was ordered, a settlement made, and in 1645, 
less than ten years after Rev. Thomas Hooker had crossed the 
wilderness from the vicinity of Boston to Hartford, Farmington 
became a town, with all the rights and duties of other towns 
in the colony. The governor, officers of the General Court, 
and some of the leading men from the older towns invested 
in the new enterprise. The place increased in population and 
importance. A church was organized in October, 1652. 

In less than twenty years after Farmington became a 
town, attention became directed to this valley, as valuable for 
agricultural purposes. Jonathan Gilbert, Daniel Clark, officers 
of the General Court, and others, obtained grants of hundreds 
of acres in this place, then termed the Great Swamp. So 
uncertain were the bounds, that in one of the early grants to 
Gilbert he was allowed to take 350 acres, "provided that it 
be not prejudicial where he finds it, to any plantation that 
now, or hereafter, may be settled." The most direct path 
between Hartford and New Haven passed through this valley 
and brought the land into notice of travelers. Andrew Belcher, 
a Boston merchant, who had dealings with the Connecticut 
and New Haven Colonies, in passing between the two capitals 
seemed to have his attention called to this land. He married 
one of Gilbert's daughters, bought the tract of over a thousand 
acres owned by his father-in-law, and added to it by other 
purchases and grants from the General Court. He then pro- 




THE HOME OF REV. WILLIAM BURNHAM 
1709 




55^f~."'«3»1?T^5^1S:^3. 



m 





^'^*4 



THE HOME (.)K l;K\' SAMtEL CLARK 
17r9 



31 

ceeded to construct roads and build tenement houses, preparing 
the way for settlement. 

In the meantime the inhabitants of Farmington had ex- 
tended their lines on the east to Stanley Quarter and East 
Street, and on the west by the side of the mountain to Hart 
Quarter. In 1686-7 Richard Seymour and others from Farm- 
ington began a settlement at Christian Lane. The families 
remained connected with the Farmington church, attended 
Sunday services at Farmington and buried their dead in Farm- 
ington churchyard. At that time, the bier on which the coffin 
was placed was usually borne by men from the house to the 
place of burial. The journey to Farmington on Sundays to 
attend public worship and on week days to bury their dead, 
taken as it was on foot, eight miles over a primitive path, 
through the woods, must always have been a wearisome one. 

At length it began to be considered whether relief might 
not be obtained by having a minister for themselves a portion 
of the year. The purpose is shown in the petition to the Gen- 
eral Assembly as follows: 

"The principal and only moving cause of this our humble 
petition is the remoteness from any town, whereby we are 
under gi'eat disadvantage for our souls' good, by the ministry 
of the word and in that your humble petitioners may be under 
the better advantage to set up and maintain ye ordinances of 
Jesus Christ in that desolate corner of the wilderness, we hum- 
bly request that your honors will please to annex to our bounds 
for the only use of said society all those lands that are between 
our bounds southward and Wallingford bounds northward for 
the benefit of the taxes of said lands, for ye support of ye public 
charge of said society. October 15, 1705." 

The petition was granted, a new society was formed and a 
minister engaged. About the same time the question of a 
more convenient place for the burial of their dead was consid- 
ered. The Indians had a burial place on the banks of the 
Mattabesett to the east, and this beautiful place near the site 
of the meeting house, then building, was selected. Tradition 
tells us that the body of the generous donor of the plot, killed 
by the falling of a tree, was the first to be interred in this "God's 
Acre." (But Farmington records show that Mr. Burnham 
deeded the land, which he had previously purchased of Samuel 
Seymour, to the society.) The cemetery now became the rest- 
ing place of the lifeless bodies of the dead from the Great Swamp 



32 

Parish, not only from the famihes Hving on the plain, but from 
those two or three miles distant, as far north as the Stanley 
Memorial Church in New Britain. In some instances whole 
families were laid side by side in this cemetery, while in others 
there were separations, one portion finding a resting place in 
this ground while another was resting in a churchyard at 
Farmington, or the later cemetery at New Britain. Stephen 
Lee, who more than any other man was instrumental in securing 
the organization of the Great Swamp church and society, whose 
name stands next the minister's in the records of the church 
and who was the leader in securing the incorporation of the 
New Britain Society at a later date, died the year before that 
act was consummated and was buried in this cemetery. His 
grave remains isolated and alone while those of his widow and 
a large family are to be found in other cemeteries. Though 
separated in their place of burial, their spirits may be united 
where there shall be no death and no parting. 

The meeting house once standing on yonder bank as guard- 
ian of this cemetery has passed away. The brave men and 
women who walked these streets and followed the lifeless forms 
of loved ones to this consecrated place are gone, but this ground 
shall be held in grateful remembrance of the lives and deeds 
of those who founded this ancient church. The storms of 
more than a hundred winters had swept over these graves; the 
ravages of time had left their impress on every part of this 
enclosure; when willing hands guided by noble purpose re- 
claimed the grounds and made them worthy to mark the 
beginnings of a noble enterprise. 



THE HISTORY OF THE KENSINGTON CHURCH 

Rev. Carleton Hazen. 

The history has been revised and expanded beyond the limits of the original 
address. Care has been taken to preserve the peculiarities of the ancient docu- 
ments cited. 

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that 
we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be 
the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever 
and ever. Amen. — Ephesians 3:20, 21. 

On the tenth day of December 1712 "the Second Church 
of Farmington was gathered, consisting of ten members, seven 
males and three females." On the same day William Burnham 
was ordained. It is an accepted tradition that the first meet- 
ing house was occupied at that time, still unfinished, but at 
least covered and floored. 

Naturally we look back to find what had preceded this 
organization. The settlement in "The Great Swamp" was 
made in 1686 by several families from Farmington, under the 
leadership of Captain Richard Seymour. A fort enclosed with 
palisades for protection from the Indians was built at the cen- 
ter of the settlement, some distance north of the site of the 
Christian Lane cemetery. For some twenty years the people 
were accustomed to travel to Farmington, a distance of eight 
miles, on foot or horseback, for Sabbath worship. For several 
years after the death of the Farmington minister, Samuel 
Hooker, in 1697, there was a controversy in the town concerning 
the choice of his successor. It was during these years, and 
probably influenced by the controversy, that the movement for 
a distinct religious society in the Great Swamp was carried out. 

The General Court, March 15, 1704, upon the application 
of several of the principal persons in Farmington, directed that 
the elders and messengers of the churches of the towns of Wind- 
sor, Hartford and Wethersfield should "hear, consider and re- 
solve, whether the town of Farmington under their present cir- 
cumstances ought to be divided into two ministerial societies." 



34 

The next year the town took action as follows: 

"At a town meeting in Farmington, Septem'r 28:170o, Att the same 
meetinge the town by voat did manifest theyer consent that soe many of 
theyer inhabitants that doe or shall personally inhabit att the place called 
the great swamp, — soe many of them as see cause (none to be compell'd) 
that they become a ministerial society when they doe gain a capable minis- 
ter amonge them and continue soe to be soe longe as they shall in a com- 
petently constant way retain such a minister amonge them, and when 
and soe long as they shall soe doe themselves and what estate they have 
there shall be free from the charge of the ministry elsewhear, allways 
provided that they shall for their own proportion of labour in the high- 
ways make and maintain the passages and highways they have ocation 
for there amongst themselves without involvinge the town in general 
therewith, etc." 

In accordance with this "liberty" granted by the town, a 
petition, dated October 16, 1705, signed by twenty-nine men, 
headed by John Hart, Sen. and Richard Seymour, requested 
the General Assembly to "grant unto your humble petitioners 
a Settlement and Confirmation of a Society at a place Called 
the Great Swamp within farmington bounds." This petition 
was granted and the new society appears to have actually had 
its beginning as an organization in March 1707; for in that year 
the town of Farmington voted "that their dues to the support 
of a minister here be abated from March last, provided the 
selectmen certify who those persons are who have there cove- 
nanted to each other to support the present means they have." 

According to an agreement between Mr. Burnham and 
the society, dated 1709, his ministry was to continue for the 
space of nine years, dating from November 11, 1707, in order 
to confirm his title to the house and lands granted by the society 
for his settlement; and we infer that his ministry commenced 
at that date. The articles of settlement proposed by Mr. Burn- 
ham and accepted by the society refer to the house for the 
minister as already begun, and specify that "the two Loer 
rooms are to be finished at or before the last day of March 
1710," the remainder within twelve months thereafter. It 
is supposed that the first meeting house was begun at about 
the same time, but the record is not preserved. 

Instead of missionary aid, which new enterprises of more 
recent times are wont to receive, the General Court granted 
release from the payment of "countrie rates" for four years 
from May 1708. Also in 1709 the voluntary feature of the 
society was changed by the Assembly, with the consent of the 
town, making all the inhabitants within the limits of the Great 
Swamp and all improved lands taxable for "setting up and 



35 

maintaining the publick worship of God there." Still further 
assistance was rendered by an act of October 1710, making the 
unimproved lands taxable at the rate of half a penny for each 
acre in each year for and during the term of four years, "for 
the promoting and enabling them to settle a minister of the 
gospel amongst them, and to build a meeting house and min- 
ister's house." A petition for such aid, signed by three min- 
isters, T. Woodbridge, T. Buckingham and Stephen Micks, 
gives an interesting estimate of the difficulty of the situation: 

"The respect which we owe to religion & the low state of the Inhabi- 
tants of the Southern part of farmington (whereby the support of the 
publick worship of God among them in a decent & becoming manner seems 
very heavy to them) .... the Court will direct for their lightening [a tax upon 
unimproved lands], a testimony of their care to prevent irreligion & heathen- 
ism growing up in the familys of such hamlets, .... for we cannot but think 
if their removal so far into the wilderness were necessary for the temporal 
subsistence of themselves and theirs, it should be much more necessary that 
God's worship be supported for their eternal salvation." 

The next step was an act of October 1711, authorizing 
the organization of a church : 

"This assembly grants liberty to the inhabitants of Farmingtown Vil- 
lage" (so the settlement was often called in early days) "at and near the 
Great Swamp, by and with the approbation of their neighboring elders 
and churches, to gather a church and call a minister to office among them, 
according to the rules of the gospel and the order of discipline established 
by this government." 

This was only three years after the "order of discipline" known 
as the "Say brook Platform" was established. The action 
forming the church and ordaining the minister was taken, as 
already stated, a little more than a year later, December 10, 
1712. At that time there were between forty and fifty churches 
in Connecticut. With the exception of Wallingford this is the 
oldest church in the Central Association. [Wallingford was 
transferred to the New Haven Association a few months after 
the anniversary.] Four churches were represented at the 
organization. "The Reverend ministers assisting were Timothy 
Woodbridge of Hartford, Thomas Buckingham of Hartford, 
Stephen Mix of Weathersfield, Samuel Whitman of Farming- 
ton." There were "seven pillars," as the first male members 
were customarily designated in many churches, and the wives 
of three of them. These were William Burnham — Pastor, 
Stephen Lee and his wife, Anthony Judd, Samuel Seamore and 
his wife, Thomas North, Thomas Hart and his wife and Caleb 
Cowles, a total of ten members. Anthony Judd was first 



36 

"chosen to do the work of a Deacon and to stand as a proba- 
tioner for the Deacon's office," March 10, 1713. He was 
"Confirmed in and ordained to the office" November 28, 1714, 
with the following charge: 

"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I ordain thee, Anthony, a Dea- 
con in this Church, and I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ 
who shall Judge both the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and King- 
dom, that thou be faithful to the trust that is committed unto thee. Thou 
art made a steward of ye external good things of this Church and it is 
required of all such that they be found faithful. — See that thou art grave, 
not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy Lucre, 
hold the Mistery of ye faith in a Pure Conscience, Rule well thine own 
house and if thou shalt use the office of a Deacon well thou shalt purchase 
to thyself a good degree and great boldness in the Faith which is in Christ 
Jesus." 

The second deacon was Thomas Hart, who was chosen 
January 27, 1719, and after some time of probation was or- 
dained to the office. There is no record of other deacons until 
1756, shortly after the ordination of the second minister, Mr. 
Clark. That John Hart, sometime deacon in the Farmington 
church, and his brother Isaac Hart, were both deacons in this 
church, as stated in the Hart Genealogy, has not been verified 
by original evidence. The only evidence discovered is that 
the latter is referred to in the Middletown Probate records as 
"Deacon Isaac Hart." The oldest records of the church are in 
Mr. Clark's hand, and were described by him as "very imper- 
fect and broken." Four new members are recorded in 1713 
and eight in 1719, and these are the only records of additions 
until 1756. Thus it is impossible to determine how rapidly 
the membership increased during the early years. Thomas 
Hart was for many years the clerk of the society. He copied 
the records of the earlier years from loose papers in 1721, the 
earliest meeting so recorded bearing date December 8, 1713, 
since which time there is a continuous record to the present. 
From these early fragmentary records it appears that a pulpit 
and seats were not provided for the meeting house until 1714, 
and galleries were not built until 1720-21, and a tax for payment 
for finishing the building was voted as late as 1721. This first 
meeting house was located on the elevation southward from 
the old cemetery and east of the highway and doubtless accounts 
for the name "Christian Lane." The society voted in 1719 "to 
give to Joseph Steele the sum of fiveteene shillings .... for ye 
privilege & use of one roode of land where our metting hous now 
stands during ye time it shall be improved for ye worship of 



37 

God." The specifications for the seats afford a glimpse of the 
arrangement: 

"18 Jan. 1713-14 It was voted and agreed to build as fast as may be 
with convenience in our meeting hous a pulpit of convenient forme; and 
allso seats in number and form as foUoweth: to say two pews on each side 
of ye puUpit and three long seats before the puUpit on each side of ye brode 
ally to be left from the pullpit to ye east dore of said meeting hous: leaveing 
convenient allies towards ye north and south dores: the said pullpit and 
pews to be built battin fashen." 

A later vote granted to Mr. Burnham "the space of roome 
that is oposit to ye pullpit staires of ye same masure for his 
own privilege." The seating of the meeting house was a deli- 
cate matter. The following rules were adopted for the guidance 
of the committee: 

"They shall observe thease things, namely: the Lists of perticular 
persons in ye years in which the Reverant Mr. William Burnham's hous 
and our meting hous weare built; as allso to have reference to what any 
persons did vollontaryly contry bute in thease years to ye sosiati for those 
eands, as allso the lists for this year now taken; as allso to have a du refer- 
ence to the age of persons." 

A few years later this specification is made: "age and the 
list or granlavi, and what so ever els tends to make a man 
honorable." Frequently the seating had to be re-arranged. 
From time to time also the meeting house was "dignified" by 
specifying the order of rank or dignity of the seats. In 1721 
"it was votted and agreed that the fore seats in ye square body 
in ye meeting house of this sosiatie shall for the time to com be 
equal in dignity with those seats called ye fore pewes, and that 
ye pewes next to the east dore shall be equal in dignity with 
those called the hind or second pewes." The names of men 
assigned seats in 1717 numbered about sixty. We can notice 
only the place of "Decon Judd in ye decon's seat & his wife 
in ye fore pue." The galleries were doubtless needed for the 
younger portion of the increasing congregations. In 1722 
Jonathan Lee was chosen "titheingman for ye year ensuing." 
Two years later Thomas Hart and Samuel Brownson were 
chosen to "over see ye youth on ye Sabbaths in ye time of 
exercise to restraine them from unreverant behaviors therein 
for ye year insuing." The congregation was summoned to the 
meeting house by the beating of the drum. Sartt. Nathaniel 
Winchell was granted "ten shillings for his sons beatting the 
drum for ye year past," in 1716. A drum and "a oure glass 
with a suitable frame for it" were voted in 1737. 



38 

The second page of the church record, without date, out- 
Hnes a plan for "conference meetings on the first days of every 
month in ye year to begin about 2 hours before sunset at ye 
meeting house, the s'd meeting shall begin with prayer, by one 
of the Brethren, who also shall propose a Text of Scripture 
and a question or questions on ye same, in writing, then to be 
discoursed on by his next Brother by House-row." The pastor 
and the "next brother" were to lay down the text and questions 
for the following meeting, and so on, "till every brother in the 
Church hath taken his turn." Stephen Lee was designated to 
begin the first meeting with prayer and text and question. 

Another interesting diversion from the dreary records of 

church discipline in this early period describes a meeting in 

1729, when it was agreed: 

"That the Psalm should be sung. . . .half ye Time in what is Called the 
old way of Singing, and half in ye New interchangeably, for the space of 
a year .... and so far beyond that time till the Pastor shall think there are five 
more voters for one way than ye other. — And they chose Capt. Isaac Heart 
to set it when to be sung in ye New way and Mr. Nathaniel Heart to set it 
when it is to be sung ye old way." 

These two men were brothers. Somewhat more than a year 
later, "The Church signifyed their Minds by vote, that the 
Psalm for the Time to come should be set in ye Publick Assem- 
bly only by Rule or what is Commonly Called ye new way." 

The manner of singing was still unsettled as late as 1772, 
when the church voted, "That for the Future Singing in our 
Publick Worship shall be Carried on amoRgst us according to 
Rule as many amongst us have in general practised." Four 
choristers were "chosen to lead in the Publick Worship" and 
"two persons were chosen to Read the Psalm." A majority of 
the choristers and readers were to choose the tunes. It was 
"also voted yt if the Choristers modestly use what they call 
the Pitch Pipe it shall give them no offence." The society 
gave expression to its views concerning the singing in 1776, 
in a vote, "That the singers in this society have a wright to 
sing on the Sabbath without having the Psalm read line by line." 

There were early attempts to establish a distinct town. 

In 1708 there was a petition to that end, and in 1710 the Lower 

House passed a resolution, in which the Upper House did not 

concur, as follows: — 

"Farmington Village, commonly called the Great Swamp, are by this 
house allowed the priviledges of a Town (viz.) to choose a Constable, 
Recorder, Selectmen &c. And that the name of the village shall be called 
Kensington." 




REV. BENONI UPSON, D.D. 



39 

This is the earliest discovered record of the name Kensington. 
The name was officially given to the society by the General 
Assembly in May 1722, and from that time society meetings 
are recorded "at Kensington in Farmington." We are unable 
to discover the link which would connect this Kensington with 
the place of the same name in England, which was the seat of 
Queen Anne's Court at about that time. Some of the functions 
of a town were exercised by the society from the first, such as 
the care of highways and maintenance of schools. The fly leaf 
of the record book shows an early division of the society into 
five districts named "squaddorns," evidently "squadrons" mis- 
spelled, which has frequently been wrongly transliterated 
"squaddams." The word appears correctly spelled in 1742. 

Christian Lane is said to have been only twenty-two rods 
from the Wethersfield line; and in 1715 a portion of the Wethers- 
field West Society (Newington) was annexed to the Great 
Swamp Society, including what is known as Beckley Quarter. 
Again in 1818 a portion of Middletown a mile and a half square 
was annexed, including what is now called Berlin Street and 
East Berlin. The records in 1718 read: "Att a meeting of 
the second sociatie in Farmington, consisting part of Farm- 
ington and part of Wethersfield and part of Middletown." 
This led to not a little confusion and difficulty in levying and 
collecting rates in three different towns, and accounts for some 
of the conflicting elements which rendered it difficult to deter- 
mine the centers for worship and the bounds of the parishes, 
three in number, into which the large territory was eventually 
partitioned. The record for a longer period than the forty 
years of the Israelites in the wilderness, when there was no 
lasting peace, is pathetic, if not unparalleled. We may believe 
that all this confusion arose rather from the natural situation 
than from any peculiar contentiousness of the early inhabitants 
of Kensington. 

The trouble is apparent early in 1730, when the growth of 
the society made a new and more commodious meeting house 
desirable, and it was voted to build on Sergeant John Norton's 
lot on the north side of the Mill river, which would have been 
a few rods west of the Peck Memorial Library. There were 
forty- two affirmative votes and thirty-six negative. But al- 
though part of the framework was actually prepared, so large 
a minority brought about reconsideration, and another proposal 
was to build an addition to the old house. An attempt next 



40 

was made to determine a new site by lot, by which a place was 
designated on John Root's lot, opposite the house of Mr. 
Burnham. But even the advice of two councils failed to per- 
suade the people to abide by the decision of the lot. At length 
when the society could reach no agreement, a site was chosen 
by a committee appointed by the General Assembly; and upon 
the refusal of the society to build upon the site designated, the 
Assembly appointed a committee to erect a meeting house and 
directed that a tax be levied upon the inhabitants of Kensington 
to pay for it. This committee reported to the Assembly in 
October 1733 that the house had been built at a cost of /394: 
15s :6d. The plot of land, 104 feet front and 78 feet deep, not 
far from the corner diagonally opposite the present grounds of 
the Connecticut State Agricultural Society, was purchased 
from Dea. Thomas Hart. It was about a mile south from 
the first meeting house. The building was sixty by forty-five 
feet. The mention of "the dome" in a petition is a hint that 
it may have been built with a pyramidal roof, and perhaps the 
earlier meeting house likewise, after the plan of the Farmington 
meeting house erected in 1709. It is said that a law enacted 
in 1831, concerning the building of new houses of worship 
under direction of the County Court, originated in this Ken- 
sington case. 

Even before the erection of the second meeting house the 
possibility of having more than one place of worship by division 
of the society was considered but negatived by the General 
Assembly. The case was still further complicated by Mr. 
Burnham's infirmity, (about 1744-6) on account of which there 
was a proposal to settle a new minister, and the trouble con- 
tinued after the death of Mr. Burnham in 1750. In all the 
votes of this period there was a minority that was too large to 
be disregarded. The outcome of the agitation was the division 
of the society by the General Assembly, May 1754, creating 
another society, to be known by the name of New Britain. 
About a month later the new society began its separate exist- 
ence, and provided for preaching; but not until April 19, 1758, 
after a meeting house had been built and John Smalley secured 
as the first pastor, was the church organized, in which fifty 
members from Kensington united with seventeen from New- 
ington. The list of members as given by Mr. Clark in 1756, 
excepting those who belonged to the New Britain Society, 
taking account of some errors, shows that there remained about 



41 

one hundred and seventy-four members in the Kensington 
Church. Some of the reasons for division are given in a peti- 
tion of 1753: 

"The present meeting house is full & much crowded in ye summer time, 
so yt people are forst to shift from seat to seat to find a place to sit down, 
& often move from ye Galiry down below to find room; & also ye dome is 
so impaired yt it must be covered anew in a short time:. . . .and their is 60 
or 70 children born in a year in said society which maks so large an increase 
yt it is impossible that we should meet long in said house, unless some 
sweeping sickness should Depresheate ye people; which tho we have reason 
to fear, we pray may be averted. And ye Meeting Hows stands on an 
island, whear there is but nine houses on it and rivers all round the same 
which often flood in some places in ye roads: .... and ye roads near half of ye 
year are so miry & broken for a mile or two Round said meeting hows yt 
make it very difficult traviling & som times Dangerous and many have been 
plunged into them to ye Japerding their Helthe & many of us live so remote 
from said meeting Hows yt it is impossible for many of us to git to meeting 
& yt some of us have lived in said Sosiety above forty year and Groned 
under ye burden. For people live thicker on either part of said Sosiety 
than near ye Present meeting hows, & besides we are Destitute of a settled 
minister amongst us, & it seems likely so to be for we believe no likely 
candidate will settel among us.' 

Even before the setting off of New Britain, a plan for mak- 
ing three societies instead of two was considered and favorably 
reported by a committee of the General Assembly; but it was 
negatived. Nearly twenty years of agitation passed before 
the third society was secured. In 1765 there were forty-five 
votes for building a new meeting house and thirty-two negative; 
and the minority made it impossible to proceed. In 1768 there 
were only eleven votes to continue in one society at a new 
center. But no satisfactory division could be made : for a divid- 
ing line running east and west there were seventy-seven affirma- 
tive and ninety-one negative votes; for a north and south line 
there were ninety affirmative and eighty negative votes. This 
was nearly the total poll of the parish; for a report to the Assem- 
bly a year later states that there were one hundred and seventy 
families; it continues, "The most of the inhabitants are opulent 
farmers. . . .,and they are so divided into parties that every- 
method of division will be attended with difficulty." The pro- 
posed east and west line would have formed one parish of the 
Blue Hills region. The State records preserve a grand list of 
this district under the name "Great Nottingham," containing 
thirty-eight names. A winter and school parish was granted in 
1761, which continued until 1764. Apparently some attempted 
to precipitate matters by damaging the meeting house 
so as to make a new building more necessary, and others 
made unauthorized repairs: so that in 1770 a large committee 



42 

was appointed, to prevent such meddling with the building and 
to prosecute offenders. In June 1771 an agreement was signed 
by one hundred and thirty-seven men, to refer the case to a 
committee from the province of Massachusetts Bay, and this 
proposal was acted on by the society with only ten or eleven 
negative votes. This committee reported in favor of a division 
by a north and south line, which was adopted by the society 
and ordered by the General Assembly. The preamble of the 
act of October, 1772, reads as follows: 

"Upon the memorial of the Society of Kensington in the Town of 
Farmington by their agent, showing to this Assembly that it is best and 
absolutely necessary for their mutual peace and real happiness, as well from 
their limits, situation, extent and wealth and other respects, that said 
society should be divided into two distinct Ecclesiastical Societies by a 
north and south line, which they have a long time labored to effect, etc." 

By the line of division the East society included those portions 
that were within the bounds of Wethersfield and Middletown 
and also the Christian Lane; the second meeting house was 
also east of the main course of the line, but on land from the 
farm of Deacon Hart, which was assigned to the West society. 
Another provision was that "the West Society shall retain and 
be called by the name of Kensington, and that the East Society 
shall be called by the name of Worthington" (after a member 
of the committee of arbitration). The minister was to continue 
with either society, as he might choose. The two societies at 
that time were nearly equal in numerical and financial strength. 
In the settlement of a total indebtedness of /'18-9s-8d auditors 
decided that Worthington should pay ^9-2s-6d, slightly less 
than half. Statements are current, the original sources of 
which are unknown, that Worthington had ninety-five mem- 
bers and Kensington eighty-nine (probably members of the 
societies rather than of the churches), the two together slightly 
exceeding the number of families noted three years before. 

Each society met and signified by vote their desire to fulfil 
the contract with Mr. Clark, if he should make known his 
choice. But for about two years the people of both parishes 
continued to worship in the old meeting house, each society 
providing its proportion of the salary and other necessary 
expenses. But when the Worthington meeting house was ready 
for occupancy, that society voted to "draw off from the old 
meeting house on Thursday ye 13th day of October, 1774," 
nearly two months before the Kensington society dedicated its 



43 

new house. A meeting of the Hartford South Consociation in 
the Society of Worthington, adjourned to February 7, 1775, 
was "called to dismiss the Rev. Mr. Sam'l Clark from his pas- 
toral relation to the members of the Church of Christ in said 
Society & from said Society & to form them into a particular 
church state;" and February 9, 1775, the Worthington Church 
was "constituted, formed and embodied a particular and dis- 
tinct Church." Thirty-eight male members signed the Con- 
fession of Faith and Covenant. At a meeting, February 22, 
1775, it was "Voted that the Church Clerk procure and enter 
upon his records a complete list of all the members in full com- 
munion within the limits of the Church and Society." The 
number of members so recorded was one hundred and four. 
The names of at least four-fifths of these, and all but three of 
the members who signed the Covenant, may be found on the 
roll of the Kensington Church. 

This partition was accompanied by lamentable conse- 
quences in respect to the minister. Mr. Clark had built a 
fine house in the vicinity of the meeting house, and the question 
of personal damages was raised. Moreover to keep on equally 
good terms with the different factions through years of con- 
tention was more than could be expected of a human minister. 
His responses to the two societies, though apparently favoring 
Kensington, were so ambiguous as to be regarded indecisive. 
The Worthington society requested him "to attend and preach 
a lecture at the opening of the new house;" but there is no 
record of his compliance; and the Kensington society made a 
similar request in vain. He was also requested to "publickly 
warn a meeting of the Brethren of the Church of Christ that 
live within the bounds of this Worthington society, .... and to 
preside as moderator," for the proper organization of the church; 
and it was only after he had rejected such application, that the 
Consociation was called to act. Almost immediately after the 
distinct church was formed in Worthington, there was a move- 
ment for a council to dismiss Mr. Clark from his relation to 
the Kensington church and society. A petition to that effect 
uses language similar to that of the Worthington society, that 
Mr. Clark "be released & dismissed from his pastoral charge 
& relation to this Society & ye members of ye Chh. therein 
and ye Society & s'd members of ye church from ye special 
relation to him as their pastor, .... and that ye members of ye 
church here be formed into a distinct particular Chh. according 



44 

to our constitution." This indicates that the petitioners 
thought that a new church organization would free them from 
the difficulties inherited from the past. But the South Associa- 
tion, apparently because that body met before the Consociation, 
expressed an opinion that "the prayer of the petition ought not 
to be granted." The death of Mr. Clark, November 6, 1775, 
terminated the trouble. It is interesting to find records of bap- 
tisms by Mr. Clark in the Worthington church less than a 
month preceding his death. 

Before we continue to trace the history from this second 
and last division, let us glance back over the earlier period. 
The first settlers and founders were of the second or third 
generation from the pioneers in Connecticut. Much of the 
peculiar religious devotion of the first Puritans had been lost. 
It was a period of religious decline, rather than of marked 
spiritual fervor. Yet by common consent it was deemed neces- 
sary to maintain institutions for the worship of God. During 
this period came "The Great Awakening," as the remarkable 
religious revival which overspread the country is called. The 
movement began in 1734 at Northampton, during the ministry 
of Jonathan Edwards, who was a leader in extending it. George 
Whitefield, the English evangelist, visited New England in 
1740 and mightily stirred the whole land. It may be observed 
that this movement occurred at a time when the Kensington 
Society was disturbed by the desire for division, so that a 
spiritual revival could hardly be looked for. 

In the Library of the Historical Society at Hartford there 
is a manuscript volume of rare interest, written by a Kensing- 
ton man. It is a religious autobiography, entitled "The Spir- 
itual Travels of Nathan Cole." Another manuscript volume 
by the same writer, in the possession of the Cornwell family in 
Kensington, gives some further glimpses of a unique character. 
He was a carpenter and farmer, and evidently had little educa- 
tion. His home was near the present Philip Norton homestead, 
and he was buried in the Dunham Cemetery. He pictures 
vividly a hurried morning ride to Middletown to hear Mr. 
Whitefield, the immense concourse of people and the profound 
impression of the preaching. He was convinced of the truth 
of the doctrine of election, against which he had long struggled; 
but he was plunged into distress for a long period, fearing that 
he was not one of the elect, but destined to eternal misery, 
until at length, through an experience in which God appeared 



45 

in a vision, light and joy came to him. He says that he was 
a member of the Old Church for 14 or 15 years, having joined 
it in his younger days, before the experience narrated. Men 
of this type found scant sympathy among the more staid mem- 
bers of the churches, and here and there groups separated 
themselves and formed what were called "Separate" or "Strict 
Congregational Churches." Nathan Cole says that the old 
churches "held several things contrary to the Gospel," one 
of which was: 

"That unconverted men had a divine right to come to the ordinance of 
the Lord's supper & to give themselves up in covenant to the Lord, .... And 
my mind run thus, that the person in owning the covenant did as much as to 
say, (and ye Church too) that he was a child of God, when many times there 
was no room for such a belief. So according to the true sense and meaning 
there was lying on both sides. I tried a long time to have these things 
mended, but all in vain." 

Evidently he is referring to "the half way covenant." 
Our records contain the names of "persons who owned Cove- 
nant" between the years 1756 and 1772, fifty-six in number. 
His complaint against the educated and ordained ministers 
is, that they receive authority from men by their system of 
licensure and ordination, rather than from God. "And when 
they come to preach, they can't preach, but must have a writ- 
ing book to read before their eyes." So he says he separated 
from the "Saybrook Churches" in 1747. For several years his 
house was the meeting place for a group of people, at one time 
about twenty or thirty persons. For a while they had preachers. 
Afterward the "people began to fall away, thinking we never 
could set up a church hear, and even went back to the old 
meeting house again," until all were gone, "except sister Pack, 
wife to Samuel Pack." In 1764, some time after she died, Mr. 
Cole joined Mr. Frothingham's Church, now the South Con- 
gregational Church in Middletown, which was one of the "Sep- 
arate Churches." For many years he refused to pay rates for 
support of the "hireling ministers," as a matter of conscience. 
In 1765 he pleads for abatement of rates: 

"I honestly confess that I dare not pay them & beleave it is a sin for 
me willingly to do it or for you to demand it. I have done ten times more 
to support ye Gospel by free will offerings than any man in Kensington 

according to his list And you have sent your servants ye collectors & 

they have attached ye value of ten pounds of my estate & posted it for sale 
for a lettel more than one pound which you demand for naught." 



46 

He describes meetings of the Kensington Society when the 
question of abating his rates was considered: 

"At one time Dea. T. H. Esqr. riseth up & said, 'as to Bro. Cole his 
morals are lovely, but as to his rates we have a law, & by our law I do not 

know why he ought not to pay as well as we At another time the Minister 

desired to speak to the case, & fixing his eyes on me he said: 'Mr. Cole, 
you ought to pay rates here out of obedience to the civil authority.' " 

Mr. Cole replied, setting forth his principles, and his rates were 
abated by a great majority. 

"Now one says the minister lookt pale, & others say it killed the min- 
ister stone dead; But a certain Esqr. said, 'I wonder he would come to us 
in such a spirit as he doth, to reflect so hard upon us.' " 

Through a series of years his rates were abated, and others" 
also, long before a law in 1777 provided for the relief of such 
cases. It does not appear that he was ever actually impris- 
oned, though he was threatened with such action. But the 
following record, dated 1775, shows that officers of the society 
did actually imprison one who refused to pay his rates, but 
the society reversed their action : 

"Voted, Whereas the collectors of this society have taken ye body of 
Miles Mark of Kensington and committed him to ye keeper of ye publick 
gole in Hartford for ye refusal of his paying ye taxes layd against him in 
Kensington, to pay ye lawful cost of ye collectors in carrying him to ye gole, 
and likewise to abate ye two rates for which he was committed and desire 
ye goler to set him at liberty." 

The Kensington Society, after the Worthington Society 
was set off, proceeded to build the present meeting house, more 
than a mile west from the second building. The site was fixed 
by the committee that planned the division of the parish, and 
the land was purchased of Daniel Cowles, Jr. The committee 
was "impowered to take down and bring away what part of 
the Old meeting House now standing in Kensington they shall 
think proper and necessary and convey the same to the use of 
Building the New Meeting House." The Worthington Society 
also utilized its share of the timber. In the same manner 
the seats of the first house and some other material had been 
utilized in building the second, while the remaining material was 
given to those that were "at the charge of building ye same," 
so that it is possible that the old seats still retained in the north 
gallery may have once had a place in the first meeting house. 

The present meeting house was dedicated December 1, 
1774. The pastor of the church. Rev. Samuel Clark, either 




THE HOME OF REV. BENONI UPSON. D.D. 




THE HOME OF THE MINISTERS SINXE 1870 



47 

on account of his health or for other reasons, dechned to preach 
on that occasion; but there is evidence that he did preach on 
the two following Sabbaths. Rev. James Dana, D. D., of 
Wallingford, preached from the text, "0 Thou that hearest 
prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come," and the sermon was 
published. There are eight Congregational meeting houses in 
the State which antedate this, according to the "Connecticut 
Minutes." But only three of these, Wethersfield, Farmington 
and East Haven, are connected with older church organizations. 
The building was very plain, and at the time of dedication was 
probably unfinished. The report of the cost was made to the 
society in 1777, as i:678-lls-lld. In 1789 it was voted "To 
paint the meeting house, the body thereof and the roof." As 
late as 1792 the finishing of the house was mentioned in a vote. 
In 1793 the society voted to "give liberty to have the meeting 
house painted withinside .... provided it be done without charge 
to the society." In 1798 "step stones" were provided. A 
"sign post" was ordered in 1786. 

The following description of the meeting house of his child- 
hood is taken from an autobiographical sketch in manuscript 
by Nelson A. Moore: 

"The color of the meeting house was a dull yellow. The meeting house 
was entered on three sides and had galleries on two sides and one end. The 
pulpit was on one side and was a great improvement on the later plan of 
making a long narrow church and putting the minister on one end and the 
audience at so great a distance. Instead of slips for seats we had the 
large square pews and you could turn your back on the minister or the 
singers who sat in the gallery in front of the parson. Large doors of the 
house entered directly into the audience room. At that time there were 
two old box stoves in the house. The pulpit was the old fashioned pan- 
elled box with doors and large sounding-board overhead. It looked more 
like a dome or top of a Turkish mosque, but flat on the bottom, which 
extended over the head of the minister about 10 feet above." 

It is interesting to note the introduction of stoves. In 
1820 individuals were given "the privilege of placing a stove 
in the society's meeting house." Apparently this was not done 
until 1824, when it was voted "That the society's comt. shall 
have liberty to set a stove in the meeting house, provided that 
they can obtain one by money subscribed." But a year later 
there was a vote, "To empower the comt. to give orders for 
the payment of the stove, $4.29;" and another, "That the comt. 
be empowered to supply necessary wood for the meeting house." 
Wall lamps were provided in 1845. 

At this point the later history of this and other buildings 
for church purposes may be outlined, before other features of 



48 

the history are presented. The bell tower was not erected 
until 1837. At that time Mrs. Ruth Hart, the widow of Gen. 
Selah Hart, gave to the society $500 and offered as much more 
on condition that an equal amount should be raised, for repair- 
ing the meeting house. At the same time interior alterations 
were made, by which the pulpit was placed at one end of the 
audience room, and the old square pews gave place to slips or 
pews with single seats. The door in the middle of the south 
side remained until 1868. A bell was procured and hung in 
the tower in 1852. Another remodeling in 1883 removed the 
organ and choir from the gallery to the side of the pulpit, 
recessed the windows, provided furnaces, new pews and pulpit 
furniture, at an expense of $4,000. There was a service of 
re-dedication, February 28, 1884. The sermon was preached 
by President Noah Porter of Yale College, and Pastor Benedict 
delivered an address upon "The Meeting Houses of the Ken- 
sington Society," which was published in the New Britain 
Herald. The addition of the parlors or parish house was com- 
pleted in 1902. The building was renovated, re-decorated and 
equipped with electric lights in 1912. The present parsonage 
was built in 1869-70. A debt of $4100, incurred in part on 
account of the parsonage, was raised by subscription in 1871. 
The Chapel, a mile and a half north-east from the Church, 
was erected in 1888, upon land donated by the Robbins Brothers, 
for the use of the growing population in that vicinity. It 
has been used at various times for evening meetings for worship, 
for social purposes, for an Italian mission and leased for a 
school building. 

Even before the dedication of the new meeting house in 
1774, a committee was appointed to dignify and seat the house, 
according to the ancient custom. Elderly gentlemen above 
seventy years were seated according to their age in the highest 
parts or seats. Men and women were seated in pews and seats 
together. The north gallery and the pews on the north side, 
not otherwise assigned, were to belong to the young ladies. 
At a later date certain seats were set apart for the use of colored 
persons. In 1780 it was voted to seat the house all by age 
without regard to list; but apparently that plan was not satis- 
factory, for two or three months later they reverted to the list 
with age. Again in 1812 the seating was by age, and again in 
1814 it was so voted, but reversed a month later in favor of 
the list. Five pounds on the list was usually reckoned the 



49 

equivalent of one year in age in the earlier years, and later the 
amount was seventeen dollars. Some of the difficulties of this 
plan of seating are indicated by the votes that no person should 
be seated lower than formerly, and that it "be esteemed dis- 
orderly for any persons not to take the seat wherein they were 
seated." 

The relation of dissenters was a question of considerable 
importance. In 1781 and again in 1790 and for many years 
thereafter, certificates are recorded of those who claimed exemp- 
tion from paying for the support of this society on the ground 
that they were members of other religious organizations. There 
were members of the Episcopal Church in Wallingford, in 
Cheshire, and in Wethersfield and Berlin; members of Baptist 
organizations in Southington, in Westfield and in Kensington 
or Berlin; and members of the United Brethren (as Universal- 
ists called themselves) in Berlin. In seating the house in 1812 
dissenters were to be seated, "if they engage to pay three- 
fourths of the tax the present year." A more liberal rule was 
adopted in 1815, to seat "all persons who live within the limits 
of the society without regard to their payment of taxes." The 
seating plan which is included in this volume is copied from an 
original draft which was probably made in 1815. 

When the Constitution of Connecticut, adopted in 1818, 
made support of the church entirely voluntary, the sale of the 
use of seats was resorted to for the purpose of raising a revenue 
to defray expenses. A year later a subscription paper was cir- 
culated "to assist in defraying the expenses of the society (as 
regards the support of a clergyman)." During the years fol- 
lowing some members of the church filed certificates that they 
were no longer to be reckoned members of the society, and others 
failed to become members of the society, so that the church was 
under necessity of taking action concerning the matter, in 1839. 
At times the resources of the parish have been severely strained 
to meet the obligations for the support of worship; but only 
in one year, 1845, was aid received to the amount of $75 from 
the Missionary Society of Connecticut. 

When the town of Berlin was incorporated, in 1785, in- 
cluding the societies of Kensington, New Britain and Worth- 
ington, the first meeting was held in this house; and until a 
town hall was provided more than half a century later, town 
meetings were usually in the meeting house, whenever in rota- 
tion between the three parishes they were in Kensington. In 



50 

1829 the society voted, "To grant liberty to the Hbrary com- 
pany to keep their library in the pew under the north stairs;" 
and from that time, except for a few years when it was in Hart's 
Hall, it had a place in the meeting house, until the beautiful 
Peck Memorial Library building was erected by the Honorable 
Henry H. Peck of Waterbury as a gift to his native place. 
There was a library in Kensington as early as 1824. 

The name of the church, without any particular action 
concerning it, has followed sometimes the name of the town 
and sometimes the name of the society. Accordingly we find 
the following names: "The Second Church of Farmington;" 
"The Church at the Great Swamp;" "The Church of Christ in 
Kensington;" "The First Church of Christ in Berlin." In 
later years, for the sake of distinction from other denominations, 
"The Kensington Congregational Church" is preferred. 

The Sabbath worship of the olden time began in the fore- 
noon, and after an intermission of an hour (by vote in 1782), 
or two hours (1791), was continued in the afternoon. In 1876 
the church voted to discontinue the preaching service in the 
afternoon during the months of July and August. Similar 
action in the years following extended still farther the period 
of relief from the afternoon worship, until it finally ceases to 
be recorded. 

Beginning in 1795 the society made appropriations for 
instruction in singing, ^10 being drawn from the treasury for 
that purpose. Three years later the amount specified for the 
same purpose was "40 dollars." In 1814 a committee was 
appointed "to assist the instructor in keeping order in the 
singing schools and also to assist in selecting music for the 
schools." The history of the choir and of music in the church 
is an interesting field, which the present paper leaves almost 
untouched. 

This church has shared in the general movements for the 
progress of the kingdom of God. Before the organization of 
the Missionary Society of Connecticut, missionaries were sent 
by the General Association to spend four months in the new 
settlements in Vermont and New York, supported by contribu- 
tions from the churches ordered by the General Assembly. 
Rev. Benoni Upson was a delegate to the meeting at Cheshire 
in 1793, when that movement was inaugurated; and the fol- 
lowing year the Association met in Kensington at the home of 
Dr. Upson. On these two occasions Theodore Hinsdale, a 



■ 51 

native of Kensington and at that time pastor at Windsor, was 
one of the eight missionaries appointed. 

The earhest record concerning a contribution in the church 
was near the beginning of the ministry of Mr. Clark, when it 
was "agreed that for the supply of ye Church Treasury, a 
Contribution should be attended on ye same Sabbath of every 
September for the future, and that every member should con- 
tribute a shilling, wrapt up in a paper, with the contributor's 
name." In 1775 and following, the treasurer's account by 
Selah Hart indicates a bi-monthly contribution, co-inciding 
with the communion months. He makes separate items of 
his own and his wife's rate, thus indicating that a certain sum 
was expected from each member, tho varying in amount 
at different periods. 

Dr. Upson was an early contributor to the American Board 
of Foreign Missions, a gift from him through Dr. Calvin Chapin 
of Rocky Hill being acknowledged in 1813 in one of the first 
reports of the Board. The Auxiliary Foreign Missionary Soci- 
ety of Hartford County in 1831 received from Kensington, 
from a "Gents association," Rev. C. A. Goodrich, Tr., $16; 
and from a "Ladies association," Mrs. Martha Robbins, Tr., 
$24.17. For many years offerings were forwarded through the 
South Auxiliary of Hartford County. From 1842-1866 the 
amounts ranged from $40 to $50 yearly. As early as 1873 a 
weekly missionary offering was introduced as a part of worship, 
and it has been maintained until the present time. The dis- 
tribution of ttie offerings has been made according to a per- 
centage that has from time to time been readjusted. Since 
1886 the list of benevolences has included all branches of Con- 
gregational work, and many other worthy objects. The ben- 
evolences for fifty-three years, 1859-1911, which are carefully 
tabulated in records at the Congregational House, Hartford, 
amount to $17,865, which is an average of about $337 annually. 

The farewell sermon of Mr. Robbins in 1859 indicates how 
fruitful in new movements the period of his pastorate was. 
He says that before his time there was "no Sunday-school, no 
tract distribution, no temperance movement, no religious news- 
paper, no slavery agitation, no missionary collection, except 
one by proclamation of the Governor." An effective temper- 
ance revival occurred in 1842 with the conversion of some 
drunkards. The names of more than two hundred persons 
who signed a temperance pledge, recorded in the hand of Shel- 



52' 

don Moore, is an interesting memorial of that period. The 
first names, are Milo Hotchkiss, Sheldon Moore, Isaac Bots- 
ford, Albert Norton, Wm. M. Dean, Wm. H. Yale and F. H. 
Norton — one of the few who are still living. The records of 
the Wethersfield and Berlin Union show that pledge signing 
was quite general in the Sunday-schools at that period. There 
is evidence of the "slavery agitation" in the church records of 
1840 at several meetings, with apparently neutral results, as 
the resolutions that were introduced, after being referred to 
a committee consisting of Jabez Langdon, Esq., Sheldon Moore 
and Milo Hotchkiss, were finally laid on the table. 

The origin and history of the Sunday-school, which is the 
oldest of the modem organizations allied with the church, has 
been prepared by a former superintendent. The various organ- 
izations of women have fulfilled important ministries. In 
connection with the refurnishing of the meeting house after 
the alterations of 1837, the society voted, "to defray expenses 
of dressing the pulpit, carpeting the same & the pulpit stairs 
& the platform in front of the same, also chairs, as shall not 
be raised by the Ladies Sewing Society." There is a record of 
"The Maternal Association of Kensington," covering the years 
from 1836 to 1842. This was a benevolent society: several 
books for mothers were purchased, and a sum was paid the 
"Moral Reform Society." Lucy Moore was the treasurer. In 1848 
the ecclesiastical society voted, "That Ira Kent be authorized 
to put on the blinds which are purchased by the young ladies 
sewing society." The record of a "Ladies Sewing Society" 
which was formed in 1848 is preserved. Money was raised by 
making shirts and bosoms and buckwheat bags. In 1855 a 
rule was adopted by which half the money in the treasury each 
year should be used for the benefit of the poor and the other 
half for the church. In 1859 or 1860 this was succeeded by a 
new Sewing Society, which continues its useful ministrations. 
The Auxiliary of the Hartford Branch of the Woman's Board 
of Foreign Missions, organized in 1884, and the Woman's Home 
Missionary Society, dating from 1888, have fostered missionary 
interest and borne their share of responsibility for the kingdom 
of God. 

The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, organ- 
ized January 23, 1883, is credited by the State Union as "the 
first fully fledged Christian Endeavor Society in the State." 
The Men's Lyceum, which includes members without regard to 



53 

their religious affiliation, was organized in 1903, and has been 
very useful in training the men in speaking and interesting them 
in public affairs. At a much earlier period a Lyceum existed 
in Kensington, of which no record is extant. Also a Young 
Men's Christian Association flourished for a number of years. 

From a Harvest Festival which was held in the vestry of 
the church in 1884 the Berlin Agi'icultural Society came into 
being, which has since been merged with the Connecticut State 
Agricultural Society. For several years a m.onthly paper (semi- 
monthly for one year) was pubhshed by the church, called 
"The Church Record." It continued from May 1885 until 
January 1892. During a considerable part of that period it 
was the organ of the Christian Endeavor societies and Sunday- 
schools of the neighboring churches. During the first year 
the valuable "Historical Sketch of Kensington," delivered July 
4, 1876 by Edward W. Robbins, was printed as a serial, and 
afterward published in pamphlet form. 

The spirit of patriotism has been nourished by the church. 
It is said that "at some time during the Revolutionary War 
nearly all the able-bodied men went into the service of the 
country in some capacity, several of whom were killed in battle 
or died in camp." A large number of men from Kensington 
were engaged in the Civil War. The soldiers' monument, 
erected in 1863 only a few yards from the east end of the church 
building, was the first in the country to commemorate those 
who perished in the great conflict. A large flag, made by the 
women of the parish at the outbreak of the War and which 
floated from the tower of the meeting house, is also a witness 
of the patriotism of that time. 

Though there were defections to various sects already 
mentioned at an early date, and later of some who adopted the 
Millerite doctrines, none of them established a permanent 
organization within the limits of Kensington. The Separates 
held their meetings for some years at the home of Nathan Cole, 
as we have seen. Late in life, he became a Baptist and prob- 
ably his followers formed the Baptist meeting or society of 
Kensington, the certificates of whose members are on record 
between 1805 and 1816. A tradition remains that Baptist 
meetings were held in the barn or house of Gideon Williams, 
the adopted son of Nathan Cole. It is said that there was a 
Methodist Episcopal Class of six persons in 1858; and in 1865 
the comer stone of their house of worship was laid, across the 



54 

street from this house, and some years later their present build- 
ing was erected nearly a mile farther north. The Roman 
Catholic house of worship was built in 1876. [It was burned 
in 1913, and the corner stone of a new building has been laid 
a mile northward.! 

In recent years the population within the bounds of the 
parish has largely increased, and to a considerable extent the 
original stock has been replaced by people of other races. In 
the Chapel built by this church a mission on behalf of the many 
Italians who were employed in the brick-yards which occupy 
much of the Great Swamp was undertaken by the Central 
Conference of Congregational Churches in 1893 and 1894. 
The Missionary Society of Connecticut assumed the care of 
the mission afterward, and it is the first Italian work that 
appears in the reports of that organization. Since that time 
the work has been continued with some intermittence, and is 
now carried on in connection with similar work in New Brit- 
ain. Some of the early fruit of the mission appeared in 1894 
when ten Italians entered into fellowship with the church. 
One of these is included among the ministers from Kensington. 

Altogether the parish and its ministers may be credited 
with a good degi'ee of progressiveness, in such movements as 
have been mentioned, and other things. For some years an 
omnibus was provided for transporting people who lived at a 
distance from the church. A notable plan of parish organi- 
zation was wrought out by Mr. Hutchins, which he described 
in a paper before the Christian Workers' Convention in Hart- 
ford in 1890, and whose results in stimulating social religion 
are reported in the files of "The Church Record." The mem- 
bership and financial strength of the church and society have 
fluctuated, often being affected by changes in the industries 
of the place. Yet it has been a country church, with a large 
portion of its constituency among a farming people. At the 
time of the separation of the New Britain Church the member- 
ship must have been more than two hundred, and just previous 
to the separation of the Worthington Church there were prob- 
ably not far from two hundred members. The seating plan 
of the meeting house in 1815 contains the names of more than 
two hundred persons that were on the tax list in Kensington. 
But the church membership in 1835, when statistics are first 
available, was only sixty-eight. For the half-century following 
the number ranges from that minimum to one hundred and 




REV. ROYAL ROBBINS 




THE HOME OF REV. ROYAL ROBBlNi 
1821 



55 

thirty; and during the last quarter-century the total has risen 
to one hundred and seventy-five, including a considerable pro- 
portion of non-residents. 

There are comparatively few years during the last century 
and a half, for which the original roll is preserved, when there 
were no additions, indicating that the increase has been secured 
through normal influences more than through extraordinary 
revivals. Yet there were years of large ingathering, especially 
during the first half of the nineteenth century, when revivals 
were prevalent among all the churches. The largest number 
of members received during one year was forty-five in 1816. 
The next largest harvests were twenty-six in 1821, thirty-seven 
in 1835, and twenty-nine in 1842. It is impossible to ascertain 
what part of these ingatherings was due to the work of evan- 
gelists. There is a record in 1755 of payment for the "dinering 
of Mr Whitfield & other ministers that came to lecture." A 
tradition of the presence of Asahel Nettleton is preserved in 
a story, that Squire Barnes was asked by Uncle Moses Peck if 
he was going up to the church to hear Nettleton preach. The 
Squire, who was almost a Universalist, looking around to the 
northwest, where a black cloud was forming, replied, "No, I 
guess we'll get thunder and lightning enough anyway." This 
was probably in 1821, when Nettleton's work in the neighbor- 
ing churches of Wethersfield, Newington and Farmington pro- 
duced marked results. Mr. Pease is remembered by some as 
an evangelist in 1858, and twenty-two members were added 
that year. In 1869, when twenty-three members were added, 
John D. Porter assisted the pastor. In 1887 Rev. A. T. Reed 
was present as an evangelist, and twelve young people "declared 
that they had begun the Christian life." The total member- 
ship for the two centuries, as witnessed by the register, deduct- 
ing a few names repeated, is about eleven hundred and seventy- 
six. Forty-five of the fifty members who foi'med the New 
Britain Church are not found on the Kensington register; also 
many names are lost of those who died or removed earlier than 
1756, when the continuous register begins. 

There is no record of the original Covenant of the church. 
In 1762 the following entry is found: 

"The Church at a meeting Regularly warned agreed to 
Comply with the advice of the Association given at their Ses- 
sion at my house on the 1st Instant, viz. that we make use of 
the Former Covenant for the admission of members into our 



56 

Communion — which has been used from the first of my Settle- 
ment. Samuel Clark, Pastor." Here is a hint that the Cove- 
nant was not a fixed and unchangeable form of words, though 
the Covenant idea was unvarying. The earliest surviving 
Covenant, together with Articles of Faith, is found between 
the close of Mr. Clark's record and the beginning of Mr. Upson's; 
but the hand-writing is unmistakably Mr. Hillard's. The 
origin and date of these formulas is therefore uncertain, though 
they may belong to the period where they are placed. In 
1838 it was "Voted, that Rev. Royal Robbins, Sheldon Moore 
and Horace Haskell be a Committee to revise the articles of 
the s'd Church and procure them to be printed and circulated 
among the members of the Church." Again in 1861 there was 
a vote, "that the roll of the Church from the beginning be 
printed, the same to be done by the committee of revision" 
(of the roll). The committee consisted of the Pastor (Mr. 
Hillard), Samuel M. Hotchkiss and Samuel Upson. No copy 
of these documents can be discovered. The manual published 
in 1877 is the earliest extant. This contains Articles of Faith 
and Covenant different from those on the earlier pages of the 
record. The Covenant is identical with one in the Manual of 
the South Church, New Britain, 1860, and was probably copied 
from that. It embodies a few phrases of the Covenant of the 
New Britain Church in 1758. The earlier of these Creeds gives 
prominence to original sin, election, the ordinances and final 
judgment. The Creed of 1877 gives expression to the love of 
God, and emphasizes the fact of the one Catholic Church and 
the duty of walking in Christian charity with other churches. 
When a Supplement to the Manual was to be published in 
1887, it was unanimously voted that the Covenant only should 
be used in the public admission of members on profession of 
faith. Thus at the present time the Covenant stands as the 
real charter and constitution of the church, after the manner 
of the early days. 

Though Kensington has been "little among the thousands 
of Judah," yet out of her have come forth men of note. A brief 
outline of some of the rich biographical material will conclude 
this sketch. It will necessarily leave unmentioned many no 
less worthy of remembrance. The names of twenty-three men 
are on record who have held the office of deacon; and twenty- 
five who have served as superintendent of the Sunday-school. 
The first deacon, Anthony Judd, a grandson of Dea. Thomas 



. 57 

Judd of Farmington, lived in the north part of the parish. He 
was a large farmer and a man of influence, and represented the 
town of Farmington in the General Court many times between 
the years 1717 and 1739. He was a petitioner for the separation 
of New Britain, but died in 1751, before the division wasseeured. 

The second deacon, Thomas Hart, a grandson of Dea. 
Stephen Hart of Farmington, was also a representative from 
Farmington at six sessions, 1739-1747. He was a maker of 
reeds for weaving. He died in 1773, aged nearly 93 years. 
Ebenezer Hart, deacon from 1762 to 1773, was one of his sons. 
Another son Elijah Hart, was the first of four generations of 
deacons in the New Britain Church. The ancestry of Selah 
Hart, deacon from 1775 to 1803, was by another line from 
Dea. Stephen Hart of Farmington. He was chairman of the 
committee for building the present meeting house. He was 
often moderator of Farmington town meetings, was four times 
elected representative from Farmington, and was moderator 
of the first meeting of Berlin town. He was an officer in the 
Revolutionary army and attained the rank of brigadier general. 
While commanding a brigade which covered Washington's 
evacuation of New York, he was captured and held a prisoner 
for two years. His widow, Ruth Hart, lived to the age of one 
hundred and one years. The sermon preached by Rev. Royal 
Robbins at her death was published. The testimony of her 
epitaph is: "Extraordinary in age, she was not less distinguished 
by strength of character, correctness of moral principle and 
holiness of life." It is said that the money which she received 
as a pension enabled her to make the gift for repairing the meet- 
ing house. Samuel Ashbel Hart of the present generation, 
chosen deacon in 1897, is also descended from Dea. Stephen 
Hart by a still different line. These several members consti- 
tute this a true Levitical family. 

Jonathan Lee, the third in our list of deacons, 1756-1758, 
was a nephew of Captain Stephen Lee, whose name stands next 
to that of Mr. Burnham among the "pillars." He was a black- 
smith. Noah Cowles, deacon 1780-1820, was from the same 
family with another of the pillars, Caleb Cowles, though not in 
direct descent. So also are Henry M. Cowles, deacon 1860-1898, 
and Sidney M. Cowles, chosen deacon in 1910, in active service. 

Roswell Moore, deacon 1845-1857, was also several times 
superintendent of the Sunday-school. Pastor Robbins, in his 
memorial sermon, called him "that pleasant man, that honest 



58 

man, that large-souled man, so ready for every good work, so 
alive to every interest of religion and humanity." He also 
said, "Perhaps no man among us was better known in this 
county, with the reformatory, industrial, philanthropic. Chris- 
tian portion of it, than he." His brother Sheldon Moore, Yale 
1818, studied law. He was also superintendent of the Sunday- 
school and was the first layman to serve as clerk of the church. 
Nelson A. Moore, son of Roswell Moore, was an artist, and the 
designer of the soldiers' monument. Both father and son were 
efficient in the musical service of the church, and the latter was 
the leader in securing the pipe organ in 1865. Various articles 
connected with the church in the olden times have been pre- 
served in this family. 

Cyprian Goodrich, deacon 1834-1864, was accustomed to 
play the bass viol in the church . He is characterized as follows by 
Pastor Hillard in a memorial sermon: "The patriarch of God, 

the servant of the church, the father of the community 

He concerned himself with the public interests .... and to these 
he subordinated his own. The qualifications of a peace-maker 
he possessed in a degree equalled probably by no other member 
of the community." We should be glad if the tributes of the 
ministers to other faithful deacons had been preserved. 

There have been three deacons of the Upson family, John, 
deacon 1860-1876, William, deacon 1870-1904; and Willis H., 
deacon 1904-1909, whose death in the first month of the present 
pastorate cast its shadows over the community. 

Kensington has sent to Yale College a steady stream of 
young men to be educated and equipped for service in the world. 
Some have entered the ministry, others have ministered as 
physicians, teachers or in other vocations. Sixteen persons 
who were either born in Kensington or lived here for a time 
have prepared for the ministry. 

John Norton, Yale 1737, son of John Norton, was born 
only three years after the church was organized. He was 
ordained at Bernardston, Mass., in 1741. Four years later he 
was dismissed, and became chaplain at a fort in Adams, Mass. 
He was carried captive with the rest of the garrison to Canada, 
and afterward published an account of the captivity. He was 
settled as pastor of the church in East Hampton, and was again 
chaplain in the expedition to Crown Point in 1755. 

Samuel Langdon, Yale 1747, son of Samuel Langdon, was 
born in 1723. He preached at Hebron (Parish of Gilead) a 



59 

year or two and was ordained in the North Parish at York, Me., 
in 1754. He received the honorary degree of M. A. from Har- 
vard. 

John Hooker, Yale 1751, son of John Hooker, of the Hne 
of Rev. Samuel and Rev. Thomas Hooker, was born in 1729. 
He became the successor of Jonathan Edwards at Northampton 
in 1753, and harmonized that community which had been "con- 
vulsed by controversy." 

Theodore Hinsdale, Yale 1762, son of John Hinsdale who 
was a blacksmith in the part of the parish that became Worth- 
ington, was born in 1738. He was an uncle of Emma Hart. 
He was ordained pastor of the North Church, Windsor, in 1766. 
He often served on important committees of the General Asso- 
ciation. With Timothy Pitkin and John Smalley he edited an 
edition of Watts Psalms and Hymns, which was published at 
Hartford in 1785. In 1795 he removed to Hinsdale, Mass., 
where, although he was not the pastor, he was influential in 
organizing a church and laying the foundations of the town, 
which was named for him. 

Salmon Hurlbut, Yale 1763, a native of Woodbury, became 
a resident of the parish and a member of the church in 1766, 
the same year in which he was licensed to preach. He preached 
here some time while Mr. Clark was unable to fulfill his public 
duties, and after Mr. Clark's death. Later he removed to 
Warren, and afterward to Vermont and New York. It is not 
known that he was ever ordained. His grandson was the 
second pastor of the church in Rochester, Vt., where the writer 
was ordained to the ministry. 

Asahel Hart, Yale 1764, son of Nathaniel Hart, and brother 
of Selah Hart, was ordained the first pastor of the church in 
North Canaan in 1770. He died in 1775, at the early age of 
thirty-three years. 

Uriel Gridley, Yale 1783, son of Amos Gridley, was born 
in 1762. He was ordained in 1785 at Watertown as colleague 
pastor with Rev. John Trumbull. 

Elijah Gridley, son of Clement Gridley, was born in 1760. 
He was ordained at Mansfield in 1789. He became pastor at 
Granby, Mass., (West Parish) in 1797. 

Seth Hart, Yale 1784, son of Matthew Hart, was born in 
1763, in the house which is now the residence of Mr. Isaac 
Porter. He was ordained a deacon "according to the rites and 
ceremonies of the Church of England" in 1791, and was ordained 



60 

a priest one year later. He ministered in Waterbury and 
neighboring churches; then in Wallingford and neighboring 
churches, one of which was Christ Church in the parish of 
Worthington in the borders of the town of Wethersfield (New- 
ington), of which he was the first Rector, 1798-1800; and in 
Hempstead, L. I. 

Horace Hooker, Yale 1815, son of Elijah Hooker, who 
declined the office of deacon to which he was chosen in 1806, 
and nephew of Rev. John Hooker, was born in 1793. He was 
ordained at WatertowTi in 1822. He became editor, author 
and missionary secretary. A fuller biography is contained in 
the address by Rev. Sherrod Soule. 

Horatio Gridley, Yale 1815, son of Amos Gridley, Jr., 
was born in 1792. He graduated at Andover Theological 
Seminary in 1818, but on account of ill health did not enter 
the ministry. He studied medicine, and began practice in 
Woodbury in 1820, but returned to his native town in 1826 
and settled in the Worthington parish. He received from Yale 
the honorary degree of M. D. There is a tradition that he 
was the superintendent of the first Sunday-school in Kensington. 

John Gridley was born in Kinderhook, N. Y., but his name 
is found among the ministers said to have been raised in Ken- 
sington. He studied one year in Yale Divinity School, class 
of 1834. He received the degree of M. D. from a medical col- 
lege in Fairfield, N. Y. He was ordained by the Presbytery at 
Onondaga, N. Y., in 1835, and was pastor in several places in 
New York, Vermont, and Wisconsin. 

Samuel Lee, Yale College 1827, Divinity School 1830, was 
born in Kensington in 1803, but removed in childhood to West- 
field. He was ordained pastor in Sherborn, Mass. Later he 
was pastor at New Ipswich, N. H. 

Henry Upson, Yale College 1859, Andover Seminary and 
Yale Divinity School class of 1861, son of Thomas Upson, and 
brother of Dea. William Upson, was born in Wolcott, but at 
an early age removed with his parents to Kensington. He was 
commissioned Chaplain of the 13th Regiment Connecticut Vol- 
unteers, and was ordained June 24, 1862. So far as known he is 
the only son of the church ordained in the home church. The 
most of his life was spent in the ministry and as principal of 
a school for boys in New Preston. Within a year he has passed 
on, and his body was laid at rest with his kindred on the green 
hilltop in the southern part of the parish. 



J 



61 

Kensington has the distinction of being the native place 
of the only woman who has been ordained to the Congrega- 
tional ministry in Connecticut. Miss Marion H. Jones, daugh- 
ter of Horace K. Jones, a former Sunday-school superintendent, 
was educated at Smith College and was ordained at Stafford- 
ville, January 9, 1911. 

Joseph Brunn, a native of Italy, united with this church 
in 1894, through the Italian mission at the Chapel. A letter 
from him says that it was this mission "that made me what 
I am." He has been engaged in missionary work, since 1899 
in Hazelton, Pa., where he was ordained by the Presbytery of 
Lehigh in 1902. 

The Centennial Sketch by E. W. Robbins claims another 
minister, Jonathan Judd; but the sole record of a member dis- 
missed during the early years shows that his father, William 
Judd, removed to Waterbury in 1818, the year before the birth 
of this son. 

Besides these ministers, a few distinguished names ought to 
be mentioned. James Gates Percival, Yale 1815 and M. D. 1820, 
a son of Dr. James Percival, who was a lineal descendant from 
the Pilgrim Pastor, John Robinson, was bom within sight of 
this building. He became physician, poet, linguist and geolo- 
gist. He mastered many languages, assisted Noah Webster in 
the production of his dictionary, and made a geological survey 
of Connecticut, for which he crossed and recrossed the State, 
touching every square mile of its surface. He was also State 
geologist of Wisconsin. 

Charles Hooker, Yale 1820 and M. D. 1823, son of William 
H. Hooker, was born in 1799. He was professor of anatomy 
and physiology at Yale from 1838 until his death in 1863. 

Major Jonathan Hart (or Heart as he signed himself), Yale 
1768, son of Dea. Ebenezer Hart, was born in 1748. He was 
a volunteer on the Lexington alarm, captain in 1780 and brigade 
major in 1781. He was slain by Indians in Ohio at the defeat 
of St. Clair in 1791. 

Dr. John Hart, Yale 1766, another son of Dea. Ebenezer 
Hart, was born in 1753. He was a surgeon in the U. S. Army 
and was ensign at the surrender of Cornwallis. For a few years 
he resided in Farmington, then entered the naval service and 
died at sea in 1798. 

Edward W. Robbins, Yale 1843, a son of Rev. Royal 
Robbins, was born in 1822, studied law, but on account of ill 



62 

health was never admitted to the bar. He was a teacher, and 
during his later years, until a short time before his death in 1899, 
he resided in Kensington. He was the author of the Centen- 
nial Historical Sketch already mentioned, and of a poem for the 
dedication of the Soldiers' monument. 

Livingston Warner Cleaveland, Yale Law School 1881, a 
son of Rev. James B. Cleaveland, spent some of the years of 
his youth here. For several years he was Judge of Probate 
at New Haven. He has honored us by his presence and par- 
ticipation in this anniversary. 

At the present time and for many years Kensington has 
been widely known as the home of Secretary Henry H. Spooner 
of the Connecticut Temperance Union, and the official organ 
of the Union, "The Connecticut Citizen," has borne the Ken- 
sington imprint. 

The names of the men are found in positions of prominence; 
but the work of the women of the church deserves more gener- 
ous recognition than is here given. Noble women, "mothers 
in Israel," have lived and labored with the men in moulding 
the life and character of each generation. Hannah, a daughter 
of Rev. William Burnhami, became the wife of Rev. Jeremiah 
Curtis of Southington. A copy of the letter dismissing her is 
preserved in the History of Southington, and is well worth 
being included as a memorial of Mr. Burnham. 

"To the Rev'd Jer. Curtiss & the Ch with him — Greeting: 

Rev'd & Beloved in our Lord Jesus: These may certify you that 
Hannah, now the wife of the above mentioned Mr. Jer. Curtiss, was ad- 
mitted a member in full communion with our Church in Kensington and 
Remained in good acceptance with the Church So Long as She Dwelt among 
us — and Whereas the Great Lord of the World, which appointed to every 
one the bounds of their habitation, hath so ordered it in his holy Providence 
that she is removed into your lim.its, and hath also desired a Dismission 
from our Church to yours, the Church with us hath granted her desire 
herein — These are therefore to signifie it to you, & we do hereby recommend 
her to your holy communion and fellowship. Wishing you an increase of 
Grace & all Spiritual Blessings and Such a Presence of Christ with his 
ordinances among you that they may be effective for the Conversion & 
Salvation of many and Desiring your Prayers for us that the like blessings 
may be multiplied to us, we rest yours in our Common Lord — 

William Burnham, Pastor, 
Kensington, June lo, 1733. in the name of the Church. 

Sarah, a daughter of Dr. Upson, became the wife of Rev. 
Charles A. Goodrich. They resided in Kensington for several 
years (1820-35), and for some time he conducted a school for 
boys. Their grandson. Rev. Frank G. Woodworth, D. D., 
whose presence with us is most welcome, also found a helpmeet 




REV. ELIAS B. HILLARD 




FIRST MONUMENT TO SULlll^•:l;^ UV THE CIVIL WAR 
1863 



63 

in Kensington, Ellen Evelyn, a daughter of Samuel Upson, and 
for a quarter of a century he has been the president of Tougaloo 
University, Mississippi, building an institution for the uplift 
of the Negro race. 

Emma Hart, a native of the Worthington parish, did not- 
able educational work in Kensington, teaching in her youth a 
winter school for which only a man had been considered quali- 
fied; and after she had attained fame through her work for the 
higher education of women, she returned to her native town 
and served as superintendent of the Kensington schools. Prof. 
D. N. Camp says: "At this time probably no town or parish in 
the State had better schools or a livelier interest in education." 

Three women, like the devoted women who ministered unto 
the Master of their substance, have left legacies for the use of 
church or society: Miss Fanny Scoville, Miss Eliza Dickinson 
and Miss Frances Robbins. A legacy was also left to the soci- 
ety by Jonathan T. Hart, a great-great-grandson of Dea. 
Thomas Hart. These gifts afford welcome aid, without giving 
occasion for the living members to lessen their sense of re- 
sponsibility. 

"These many years! What lessons they unfold 
Of grace and guidance through the wilderness." 

"The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of 
the truth," divine in source and aim, depends upon human per- 
sonalities, called unto a fellowship of saints, though not all 
sanctified. It is a high privilege to be entrusted with this 
heritage, to enter into the labors of others, to be fellow-workers 
in seeking the kingdom of God on earth, in hope of the kingdom 
of glory. Our desire and prayer, according to our faith con- 
cerning the centuries past, is that "Unto Him be the glory in 
the church and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations." 



THE MINISTERS OF THE KENSINGTON CHURCH 

Honorable Livingston W. Cleaveland 

Mr. Moderator, Members and Friends of the Kensington Church: 
A New England traveler mistook the first mile stone out 
of Boston for a tomb stone. It read: "1 m. from Boston." He 
read it, "I'm from Boston," and reflected, "How simple, how 
sufficient." 

I assume that I have been selected to assemble the facts, 
many of them oft times told, in reference to the ministers of 
the Kensington Church during the past two hundred years, 
not because any one supposed that I was especially qualified 
for the task, but simply because I'm from Kensington, the son 
of a former minister in Kensington. In this delightful atmos- 
phere, I had the privilege of spending perhaps the most inter- 
esting period of my youth. 

An epitaph I have often read in a Lakewood cemetery on 
the grave of Jennie June's husband, said to have been placed 
there by Jennie June herself, appropriately describes my attempt 
to prepare this historical address: 

"He meant well. 
Tried a little, 
Failed much." 

A few years ago a symposium was held by the New Haven 
Congregational Club. The following topics were discussed by 
members of the Club: Can a man be a Christian and a suc- 
cessful lawyer? Can a man be a Christian and a successful 
business man? Can a man be a Christian and a successful 
editor? Can a man be a Christian and a successful teacher? 
Can a man be a Christian and a successful politician? Can a 
man be a Christian and a successful minister? 

I will not attempt to explain why I declined to discuss the 
question assigned to me: Can a man be a Christian and a 
successful politician? Governor Baldwin, then Judge Bald- 



65 

win, always equal to any emergency, made it very clear, at 
least to the members of the New Haven County Bar, that a 
man could be a Christian and a successful lawyer. I will not 
say that no New Haven clergyman could be found to discuss 
the proposition whether a man could be a Christian and a 
successful minister: I will only say that the subject was handled 
by a clergyman from North Haven, who ably and plausibly 
contended that it was possible to be a Christian and a success- 
ful minister at the same time. 

It is for me to consider — in a long distance glance backward 
over the centuries — something of the lives of the ministers of a 
church whose continued successful existence, from a remote 
antiquity until the present hour, bears eloquent testimony to 
the character of its spiritual leaders. 

The ministers of a New England parish! What pictures 
do the words bring to mind — pictures of men of strong, keen 
intellect, wrestling with the knotty problems of the old theology 
on the one hand, and on the other, grappling the prosaic 
difficulties of running farms; now elaborately conversing in 
Latin, and again, bartering pecks and bushels of grain for 
yards of homespun; sometimes urging their flocks to public 
improvements and to deeds of valor, while all the time wonder- 
ing how they should keep the wolf from the door. 

In the early days of New England, the minister held the 
chief and foremost place among his people; and, in the quasi- 
hieratic government, he was regarded with the respect that 
had once been bestowed on the king, the pope, or the lord of 
the manor; unfortunately, without the revenues of those 
potentates. 

After the first hardships had given way to comparative 
ease, the minister was still the leader of the community, and 
he and his family lived in the blaze that beats upon a throne, 
even if the throne were a pulpit. See the learned divine, arrayed 
in the spotless broadcloth so painfully preserved for long years 
of pulpit use, taking his dignified course through his parish, 
saluting a brother minister, if met by chance, in the sonorous 
Latin that he had learned in college, responding graciously to 
the greetings of his parishioners and inquiring about the pros- 
perity of their poultry, their cows, and their families, patting 
the awed children on the head; and if on Sunday, passing through 
the standing congregation to the pulpit, where the hour-glass 
was to measure the tide of eloquence, logical, persuasive, argu- 



66 

mentative, or pathetic, which was the one intellectual treat 
of the community, to be discussed throughout the town for 
weeks. He baptized, married, buried, one generation after 
another, rejoiced and grieved with his people; who in turn, 
loved, feared, and venerated him, as one of their choicest 
possessions. 

Blessings on the New England ministers! From early 
days till now, they have enforced the idea that the object of 
learning was to do good; they have held up the standard of 
right thinking and right acting to such purpose that the old- 
fashioned New England conscience has become a proverb. 

Of the why and when of the establishment of Kensington 
Church, another has told you. It is for me to speak of the 
long line of those ministers who have preached in its pulpit. 

From 1712 to the present day, there have been sixteen; 
the first four divided nearly a century and a half among them, 
each of the four passing his whole ministerial life in Kensington. 
Of these, nine received degrees from Yale College or its Divinity 
School, two from Harvard, two from Union Seminary, three 
from Hartford Theological Seminary, one from Columbia, one 
from Princeton, one from Amherst, one from Bowdoin and 
one from Colby. 

The first minister of Kensington parish was the Rev. 
William Burnham, of Wethersfield. His father was William 
Burnham, his mother, Elizabeth Loomis, of the well-known 
Loomis family. Born about 1684, graduated from Harvard 
at the early age of eighteen, married at twenty, in charge of 
a parish at twenty-three, he could scarcely be called a laggard 
in beginning the serious business of life. Bringing to the new 
parish the enthusiasm of youth, he showed enterprise and 
ability throughout his life, and was a leader in the affairs of 
the village and state. He came to his people in 1707, the 
inhabitants of Great Swamp having in that year begun to 
avail themselves of the privilege granted by the town of Farm- 
ington and by the General Assembly to support a minister of 
their own. 

Evidently, he was willing to begin in pioneer style; for 
although his new house consisted at first of only two rooms on 
the first floor those were not finished in 1709, and he accepted 
the promise that the upper story should be completed after 
the interval of more than a year. Several pieces of land were 
conveyed to him. The stipend of the young minister was not 



67 

superabundant, fifty pounds a year at first. This was not paid 
in coin of the realm, but in wheat, Indian corn, or rye. Labor 
to the amount of five pounds per annum was also promised, 
as well as five pounds worth of fire-wood for his family. Pay- 
ment in such manner was usual in those times. 

Some tokens of the small payments which were weari- 
somely collected by the minister may be seen in the rate bills 
for 1720: 

s. d 
"John Standley, by 1 bushel wheat 5 6 

Isaac Hart, 1 and one half bu. corn, 3 9 

Samuel Hart, 2 bu. wheat, 11 

Samuel Hubbard, 3 and one half bu. wheat, 
wanting 1 pt. 
4 s. of Jonathan Scott's 

account, 17 9 

Jacob Deming, one half bu. Corn & 13^ pt. 1 2J^ 

Thos. Porter, 13^2 bu. corn, 3 s, his ac. 3 

9d. Thos. Hart's, 9" 

His salary was increased from time to time until in 1749 it was 
fixed at ^300. 

At last, meeting-house and parsonage were sufficiently 
advanced to permit definite organization, and in October 1711, 
the Assembly gi'anted liberty to "Farmington Village" (Ken- 
sington) to "gather a church and call a minister." On Decem- 
ber 10, 1712, Mr. Burnham was ordained to the ministry, being 
twenty-eight years old. Of the ten members of the church, 
the minister was one. The names of the seven pillars in- 
cluded not only that of Burnham, but other names of families 
that have taken root in the soil and have flourished mightily: 
Hart, Judd, Seymour, North, Cowles, and Lee. 

Mr. Burnham evidently made an impression on his world, 
for in the records of the time, his name appears as scribe, moder- 
ator and preacher at church councils and on other public 
occasions. 

In 1722, his parish was named Kensington, and on May 10 
of that year, he was asked to preach the election sermon in 
Hartford, "God's Providence in placing men in their respective 
stations and conditions," for which the thanks of the Assembly 
were voted, and it was published by order of the same body. 
We infer that his two wives, Hannah Wolcott of Wethers- 
field, and the Widow Buckingham of Hartford, were prudent 



68 

and thrifty women; for by the magic of work and economy, 
the pieces of fertile Kensington land that had been given to 
him were made to yield sufficient revenue for a comfortable 
support, and for gradually amassing a substantial property. 
He was blessed with a family of nine children. The house 
which was built for him was standing in recent years, a colonial 
building, browned by time, but moved from its original site. 
Mr. Burnham became a rich man for his day. 

Whether his life were simple or strenuous, it wore on Mr. 
Burnham, so that in his early sixties, if not long before, his 
"bodily infirmity", made his people anxious to the point of 
petitioning the Assembly for an assistant preacher. Rev. 
David Judson from Stratford occupied the pulpit for a time 
and then the Rev. Edward Dorr, of the Lyme family, and the 
uncle of Edward Dorr GrifRn, was here from 1744 to 1746. At 
the end of that time, Mr. Burnham's health was so far restored 
that he resumed his duties, and Mr. Dorr went to a long and 
distinguished pastorate in the First Church in Hartford. He 
was a man of ability. He suffered from paralysis and died at 
the early age of fifty, not before, however, he had raised his 
voice in appeal for missionary work among the Indians, taking 
great interest in Rev. Mr. Wheelock and his Indian school at 
Lebanon. By him were uttered these words, "Scarce ever a 
word is put up in our worshipping assemblies — but one petition 
is to this purpose — That Almighty God would open a door for 
sending the Gospel to the heathen." He was a pioneer in 
missionary effort. 

During Mr. Burnham's day, there were warm discussions 
as to the order of procedure in seating the congregation, and 
as to the respective merits of singing hymns and psalms by 
line or by rule. From all these questions, he was called away, 
September 23, 1750, at the age of 66. His will, dated July 
1748, accepted by the Probate Court the first Tuesday in April 
1759, but never recorded, divides his real estate among his 
three sons, William, Josiah and Appleton, and names his four 
daughters, Hannah, wife of Rev. Jeremiah Curtis, of Southing- 
ton, Lucy, wife of Jacob Root, of Hebron, Abigail, wife of 
Lieut. Robert Wells of Newington, and Mary, wife of John 
Judd, of Farmington. He disposes of "Servants, household 
stuff, money, plate, books, horned cattle, horses, sheep, swine, 
team tackling, and any instruments of husbandry whatsoever, 
corn upon the ground or gathered, linen, wearing clothes of 



69 

any sort, horse tackling, any other tools or instruments besides 
those of husbandry, and all my moveable and personal estate 
whatsoever, excepting that concerning my Spanish Indian 
woman, Maria, my will is that after my decease she shall have 
liberty to dwell with any of my children, where she likes best 
and if at any time, she should not be able to earn a living, that 
she be comfortably provided for in sickness and during life 
at the cost of all my children & such as represent them, & 
concerning my Mulatto Boy James, my will is that, according 
to my deceased wife's desire, my daughter Abigail may have 
liberty to take him at the price he shall be valued at." 

This shows, that in those days, a very good man might 
regard slavery as a matter of course, yet his Christian spirit 
of kindness predominated. 

His family shared his ability; his brother Nathaniel had 
hastened to avail himself of the infant college, Yale, being 
graduated in 1709, and he and another brother, Jonathan, 
became surveyors for the colony, Nathaniel marking, in 1714, 
the line between Connecticut and Massachusetts. Rev. Mr. 
Burnham's son, William, was captain of the militia and deputy 
from Farmington. He died twenty months before his father. 
The oldest daughter, Hannah, married the Rev. Jeremiah Cur- 
tis, Yale 1724, who was the first settled minister of Southington. 
The great-nephew, Captain John Burnham, was a captive in 
the war of the Revolution, and in 1793, at Algiers. Stuart 
painted portraits of him and his wife Barbara, that are in the 
possession of Pay-Inspector Thomas T. Caswell, U. S. N. Two 
descendants, Hiram and Edwin H. Burnham, were in battles 
of the Civil War. Among his descendants are George Dudley 
Seymour, Esq., whose message you have heard at the Christian 
Lane Cemetery; and many of the Norths, Stanleys and Churchills 
of New Britain. 

It was fortunate for Kensington that its first minister was 
so able to bring his parish into an honorable position. He was 
considered a sound preacher, and was accustomed to refer 
much to the Scriptures in support of his doctrines. 

Mr. Burnham was not disposed to accept injustice tamely 
and it may be guessed that had he been at the helm instead of 
his successor, at the outbreak of the Revolution, he would have 
been among the torch-bearers of the colony. We know that 
he was the scribe of the General Association which on May 8, 
1735, discussed the "value of paper money" being "such as to 



70 

make the settled support of some of the ministers very much 
below the just intent of the sums agreed on;" and perhaps it 
was on account of family conversations thereon that his son 
Josiah, after his death, sued for loss of money; petitioning the 
Assembly that the nominal and buying value of paper money 
were so different as to amount to a loss of 4,000 pounds during 
his father's pastorate. Probably this large sum frightened the 
Assembly; for, unjustly, it seems, the petitioner was told that 
the nominal value must be accepted. 

An interregnum followed; and during that time, among 
others, no less a person than Ezra Stiles, afterwards president 
of Yale College, preached, and declined an invitation to be 
pastor. Similarly complimented was Elizur Goodrich, who 
later tied the vote with Stiles for the college presidency, and 
gracefully yielded to his rival. 

Between Stiles and Goodrich, the Rev. Aaron Brown, and 
the Rev. Samuel Sherwood, (a cousin of Aaron Burr), supplied 
the pulpit. 

Aaron Brown might have been shocked had he foreseen 
that one of his chief claims to attention now would be his 
connection with one of the first American novels. He supplied 
the pulpit in Kensington in 1755; then, after preaching in 
Granby, he was settled in Killingly, or East Putnam. There 
he married the widow of his predecessor, the Rev. Perley 
Howe. His step-son, the Rev. Joseph Howe, Yale 1765, a very 
able and promising young preacher, settled in the New South 
Church on Church Green in Boston, was to marry Eliza, the 
daughter of the Rev. Elnathan Whitman of Hartford, when the 
sudden death of the expectant bridegroom ended all. His 
step-father, Mr. Brown, returning from the funeral in Boston, 
himself died suddenly in Ashford. This sad story, with the 
Rev. Joseph Howe and his fiancee, Elizabeth Whitman, appeared 
as important parts of "The Coquette, or the History of Eliza 
Wharton, by a Lady of Massachusetts, Boston, 1797;" also, in 
the "Romance of the Association, or One Last Glimpse of 
Charlotte Temple and Eliza Wharton." It is to be noted that 
"after Mr. Howe's death, Eliza was sent to New Haven for 
gaiety and diversion." 

On July 14, 1756, the Rev. Samuel Clark was settled here. 
His birthplace was Newton, Sussex Co., New Jersey, and he 
was graduated from Princeton, then the College of New Jersey, 
in 1751, receiving another degree from that college later and 




REV. ALFRED T. WATERMAN 




REV. JAMES B. CLEAVELAND HON. LIVINGSTON W. CLEAVELAND 



71 

also an honorary M. A. from Yale in 1757. His ability as a 
preacher caused the people to send some one to Elizabethtown, 
New Jersey, to deliver their invitation. He was evidently a 
man of systematic habits, for, two days after his settlement, 
we find him trying to bring order out of the chaos of the church 
records, which he says, "were very imperfect and broken." 
Not married, we read that he made provision for the enter- 
tainment of the Council, in his first year, once at the house of 
Doctor Wells, and again, at his lodgings, Lieut. Lankton's. 

For ten years he had the comforts and discomforts of a 
bachelor minister, and we have all heard what that is! He 
yielded at last to the charms of no fair parishioner, but married 
a wife from Bolton, Jerusha White, July 1, 1766. He had two 
children, Samuel and Jerusha; yet his line has long disappeared, 
the only trace being Jerusha Clark, wife of Elisha Dunham, on 
the roll of the Worthington Church; but his house, still stand- 
ing, a model of colonial elegance, with its wide hall through 
the middle and its spacious stairways, shows that he was a 
man of means, not dependent on pints and quarts of corn for 
his support. The bricks and hardware were imported from 
England, and it is said to have "outranked in size and cost 
most country houses of the period." It was built in 1759. 

There were thorns in the pastor's path among roses, in 
spite of the grand house; although it is difficult to see why he 
was so frequently involved in controversy. The long distances 
and poor roads made the location of the church a subject of 
bitter discussion, which led to the division of the parish. The 
choice between Worthington and Kensington was given to 
him, the Kensington people offering him, December 8, 1772, a 
salary augmented to 100 pounds. Perhaps his English importa- 
tions were stones of stumbling to those who were throbbing 
with Revolutionary spirit; for his opponents complained among 
other things of his "entering into a covenant and combination 
of trade and commerce in European goods and others, by a 
co-partnership with Jonathan Hart, on or about the 1st day 
of August, 1771;" and that he had broken his promise "not 
to take up, act, or join in with a part of said Society or Church 
against ye other or rest part of ye said Church,. . . .thereby 
raising and fomenting strife, debate, animosities, confusion, and 
every evil work." 

On the other hand, eighty memorialists, asking to be made 
a distinct Society, speak of him as having "faithfully labored 



72 

with them in word and doctrine about twelve years, to the 
unspeakable satisfaction of many. . . whereby he has become 
most dear and is accounted worthy of double honor." He 
accepted the Kensington invitation, but he was high-spirited, 
and made this proviso: — -"I do not desire the money of those 
who do not desire my labors," adding that he desired no man 
to be "tyed to me by the mere force of civil law who is unwilling 
himself to be under such wise and good civil regulations while 
we are blest with such good civil rulers in this land." This 
last probably had a Tory sound in those days. He was accused 
of giving ambiguous replies, the strife waxed hotter, a council 
for dismission was proposed, when most dramatically, death 
huvshed the dispute, calling away Mr. Clark, November 6, 1775. 
The clamor of anger died away, leaving its echoes only in 
musty church records. 

He was the first to be laid in the new East Burying-ground, 
his grave-stone bearing this inscription: "The first interment 
in this ground now consecrated to the dead." Alas! The 
legal notices in the newspapers proclaimed him to be insolvent. 
The salary was voted to the widow for "such time as the pulpit 
can be supplied by free-will offering." This was all the life 
insurance that the brotherhood of ministers could offer to 
bereaved families. 

But peace did not come at once. The aforesaid Jonathan 
Heart, Yale 1768, of whom Mr. Clark was the silent partner, was 
a prominent man in the affairs of the town, and had been in 
trade there, besides teaching in New Jersey. His business 
ventures had not been successful, he had become insolvent, 
and had appealed to the Legislature to relieve him from im- 
prisonment for that insolvency. At the time of Mr. Clark's 
death, he was an adjutant in the Continental Line, and was 
afterwards at the siege of Yorktown, and became a member of 
the Cincinnati. Mrs. Clark assented that Mr. Clark had lost 
much through Captain Heart, denying the partnership which 
he asserted, and she sued him for about 800 pounds. 

What headlines and what pictures would have adorned 
the modern reporter's account of this episode in church history, 
I leave you to imagine. Long after, April 26, 1787, Mrs. Clark 
married Amos Hosford, a deacon in the Worthington Church. 
The Clark house is now occupied by Mr. and Miss Warren, 
descended from Gustavus Upson, who was a grand-nephew of 
Dr. Benoni Upson. 



73 

In the anxious years from 1775 to 1779, when the colonies 
were making their desperate struggle for independence, there 
was no minister in Kensington, for what reason is not definitely- 
known. Perhaps the men who could have supported a min- 
ister were away, supporting the Continental Congress. 

During that time, in 1777-8, no less a person than the elder 
Timothy Dwight had preached here several times, while he 
was studying with his uncle, Jonathan Edwards. The parish 
showed its discrimination by asking him to settle here. This 
he did not do. As is well-known. Dr. Dwight became one of 
the most prominent men of his time, and besides his notable 
work as president of Yale College, he wrote books of travel 
and poetry. In his Paraphrase of the Psalms of David is 
that of the 137th, 

"I love Thy kingdom. Lord, 
The house of Thine abode," 

which according to Professor Dexter, has found favor in all 
Protestant denominations and is to be seen in every extant 
collection of hymns. It is inscribed on the wall of Dwight 
Hall on the Yale Campus. 

In 1778, the prospect must have brightened in Kensington, 
if not in Congress, for there was discussion as to calling the 
Rev. Benoni Upson; and in 1779, he was ordained for the minis- 
try here, which ended only with his life. 

Either the long deprivation, or the outlet for pugnacious 
feelings in actual war, calmed the angry disputes of Mr. Clark's 
time ; and the peace-loving disposition of Dr. Upson spread over 
the parish. How beautiful a tribute it is that through life 
he was called a peace-maker. 

His profession was in his blood; for Thomas Upson, his 
father, who lived in that part of Farmington now called Wol- 
cott, had married Hannah Hopkins, of the noted Hopkins 
family. She was one of the seven children of Captain Timothy 
Hopkins of Waterbury. One brother of Hannah was the Rev. 
Samuel Hopkins, D. D., of Yale 1741, settled at Newport, R. I., 
the founder of Hopkinsian theology. Another brother was 
the Rev. Daniel Hopkins, D. D., Yale 1758, pastor of the Third 
or South Congregational Church at Salem, member of the Pro- 
vincial Congress of Massachusetts. Another was Col. or 
Major Mark Hopkins, Yale 1756, who died of illness at White 
Plains just before the battle there in 1776. A paternal uncle 



74 

of Hannah was the Rev. Samuel Hopkins, of West Springfield, 
Mass., who had married a sister of Jonathan Edwards. The 
great-gi'andfather of Benoni Upson, was a proprietor and origi- 
nal settler of Hartford in 1638 and Farmington in 1640. 

As a boy, Benoni Upson was delicate, but after a residence 
of some years with his uncle in Newport, he became strong 
enough to enter Yale, and was graduated in 1776. Like Mr. 
Burnham, he was only 23 when he was ordained in Kensington, 
April 26, 1779. 

In calling him it was voted to give "for his encouragement 
the sum of 300 pounds to be paid in wheat at six shillings per 
bushel, or money equivalent thereto." It is said that this was 
all lost in the depreciation of Continental money. 

In addition, Mr. Upson was to have 120 pounds for his 
yearly support and salary to be paid in the same way, and a 
sufficient quantity of firewood for his family use. That the 
efforts of Josiah Burnham were not without good results is 
shown by the provision that "the value of money shall be 
determined by a committee who shall be appointed annually 
for that purpose." 

He accepted what he called the "generous proposal," and 
on his side was generous, offering to receive the settlement in 
three parts, to be distributed over three years, also deducting 
from his salary 20 pounds the first year, 13 the next, 6 the 
next, until on the fourth year, he would proceed to draw the 
stipulated salary. 

He was a of sensitive spirit, for he writes to his people : — 
"I have been informed that there are some in the parish who 
are fearful that by stating the salary in grain, I am put under 
disadvantage to obtain more than the people intended to give, 
and consequently, more than is necessary for a maintenance. 
I hope such will not be apprehensive of danger from that quar- 
ter, after being informed that I esteem it beneath the character 
of a Christian to take advantage of the good intention of an 
honest people." And in all the experience of his 23 years his 
New England conscience adds, "I am sensible that it is a diffi- 
cult thing in this day to know what is duty." 

On August 6, 1778, he had married his cousin, Livia Hop- 
kins, the daughter of Joseph Hopkins; and in the grand house 
built by Mr. Clark, they and their first child lived for a time, 
Mrs, Clark inhabiting one part of what had been all her own; 
but afterwards the Upsons had a separate dwelling. 



75 

In some miraculous way, the tiny salary was made to 
yield enough to buy a lot on the "corner east of the east burying- 
ground," and to the little house built on that, he took his wife 
and one child. Only one room was plastered. How the winter 
winds and summer suns must have made themselves felt 
through those flimsy walls! It was poor in modern comfort, 
but how rich it became with the memories of its unvarying, 
warm-hearted hospitality that was given so unstintingly to 
all who crossed its threshold! 

Through life the influence of Dr. Upson was for just 
thinking and right acting, for peace and charity towards all. 
In that chaotic period which followed the Revolution, his pru- 
dence and tact, combined with high principle, must have 
wrought much good in the parish. He was honored outside 
the town, also, serving Yale College as a member of the Cor- 
poration for fourteen years, and receiving from her the degree 
of Doctor of Divinity. 

I cannot forbear quoting Emma Hart Willard's description 
of the minister of her childhood. It is a picture of the old time 
that we like to look at often. She says: "He was one who 
was wont to be present whenever good was to be done, when 
rising ambition was to be encouraged, and children and youth 
to be watched over with parental care — one whose memorable 
form has been often seen in this house of worship, as with an 
air at once solemn and graceful, he walked up that aisle to 
mount the pulpit. Who does not know by these tokens the 
former beloved pastor of this Society, the Rev. Benoni Upson? 
The time was when, as the clergyman entered the church the 
whole congregation rose and stood till he had adjusted him- 
self in his pulpit. But well do I remember when I was a child 
at school, if during our play-hour it was said, .... 'There 
is Mr. Upson ! ' every urchin of us stopt short in our play, and 
immediately repaired to the road-side to make a double file 
for him to pass between, and as he passed we made in heart 
as well as in gesture, profound obeisance, and the countenance, 
the polite, yet endearing manner of the good man as he passed, 
showed that he had for us a father's yearning breast." 

He loved the young, and visited the schools often. A test 
of the Christian character of the two men was made during 
the ten years when Dr. Upson's failing strength was supported 
by a younger minister; for a beautiful harmony existed between 
him and the Rev. Royal Robbins. Dr. Upson did not waver 



76 

in his punctual attendance on Sabbath worship, even when not 
called by duty to the pulpit, "being for several years of his 
life the oldest man in the congregation," and Mr. Robbins 
summed him up as a "valuable friend and counsellor — possess- 
ing a clear understanding, and ready wit, a most accomplished 
gentleman." After a pastorate of 47 years his benign presence 
ceased from earth. Of his eight children, only two survived 
him, one being Mrs. Charles A. Goodrich. The Rev. Frank G. 
Woodworth, D. D., president of Tougaloo University (Miss.), 
who has addressed you at the East Cemetery, is a descendant 
of Dr. Upson, and a son of the former pastor in Berlin. 

In this young man, Rev. Royal Robbins, who came as a 
colleague, Kensington was to find one of her most illustrious 
ministers. Like Mr. Burnham, he was born in Wethersfield 
(October 21, 1787), his parents being Captain Elisha Robbins 
and Sarah Goodrich of Wethersfield. 

In 1806, he was graduated from Yale, taught for two years 
in Hadley, Mass., and in Wethersfield and Glastonbury. Like 
Dr. Upson, he spent some time in Newport. This was in order 
to study law with his uncle, Asher Robbins, a distinguished 
lawyer. After teaching again at home, he made a final decision 
for the ministry, and studied theology. His first sermon was 
preached in the pulpit of Dr. Nathan Perkins, of West Hartford. 
Among the incidents of this period was that of preaching to 
the convicts in that strange, half-underground prison at New- 
gate. 

Thus he had gained the varied experience of ten years. 
after leaving college, before he came to Kensington in 1816. 

Another ten years passed as a colleague; and in 1826, at 
the death of Dr. Upson, he became sole pastor, and thus re- 
mained for thirty-three years, making a pastorate of forty-three 
years in all, during which time he built up for himself a monu- 
ment of lasting admiration and affection. His brother min- 
isters, his people, the reading public, all regarded him as a rare 
man, gifted with the pen of a ready writer, gracious and devoted 
in carrying his Gospel message — a flower of his time. 

All his contemporaries speak of his life as one of ceaseless 
toil. Apparently, he never relaxed the strain of using every 
moment. His family of eight children and his small salary 
did not fit well; and thus it came about that his pen was kept 
busy throughout his pastoral life, and a mass of articles, reviews 
and books was produced, which added to his small income and 



77 

won for him thousands of readers. The first article, "A Moral 
Estimate of Paradise Lost," published in the Quarterly Christian 
Spectator, was afterwards re-published in the London Christian 
Observer, an unusual compliment. He had excellent literary- 
taste, and his regular contributions to periodicals were looked 
for with glad anticipation. 

He was a friend of Percival, and wrote an excellent memoir 
of him for an edition of his poems, besides an article about him 
in "Specimens of American Poetry." His beautiful hymns 
are well-known to you. "A Legend of Mt. Lamentation," 
published in "The Token," was widely read, and he contributed 
much to the work of S. G. Goodrich (Peter Parley) in the 
Pictorial History of America," and the "Pictorial History of 
All Nations." But he was best known through the "History 
of American Literature," of which he was the American editor, 
and still more important, in his "Outlines of Ancient and Mod- 
ern History," which passed through many editions and was 
widely used as a text-book in schools and colleges. This would 
have given him a competence, had he reserved the copyright. 

The intimate connection with the Goodrich family, which 
was related to both the Upsons and the Robbins, helped to 
foster and encourage the literary pursuits of Mr. Robbins. 
Probably to him is owing the Kensington Library Association, 
founded in 1829; and the widespread influence of such intel- 
lectual activity must still be felt in other ways. The children 
developed into men and women of rare charm and nobility 
of character; and the sons were able to surround the last days 
of the parents with comfort. Edward W. Robbins, Yale 1843, 
the Kensington historian, had great talent as a writer. His 
Centennial Address should be a Kensington classic. Miss 
Frances Robbins and her sister, Mrs. Ford, lived to hand down 
the traditions of the family and to be a blessing to the town. 
It is regretted that Mr. Harry Pelham Robbins, of New York, 
a grandson, was unable to be present and speak at the East 
Cemetery; and the grandson in Boston, who bears the name, 
"Royal" Robbins, also was not able to be present. 

Rev. Mr. Robbins kept up his scholarly habits of reading 
Latin and Greek every day, and was a constant student of 
the Bible. That home of the Kensington minister, glowing 
with the graces of mind and heart of parents and children, was 
recognized as a center of refinement and intellectual zeal, and 
was famed as such an ideal of cultivated country parsonage 



78 

life as we delight to find in romance and, still more, in reality. 
It was like the perfume of a flower, not to be described. He 
was engaged in preparing an Historical Address for the Town 
of Wethersfield when he was stricken by his last illness. 

Painful as were his last days, his patience and fortitude 
were unfailing, and the consolations of religion with which he 
had often soothed the dying were his in the Valley of the Shadow. 

Most touching were the lamentations of the Wethersfield 
people when they learned that they could not hear the "honied 
words" of their favorite son; most complimentary were the 
tributes to his scholarship and his character from every side. 

Dr. Porter, the patriarch of Farmington, wrote, "There 
was in him such blending of the true, the just, the pure, the 
beautiful, the fine, the gentle, the humble, that I might as well 
attempt to describe the light of day as to tell what sort of man 
he was." A divine of the Episcopal Church wi'ote of his "deep 
humility, his beautiful, harmonious character, his consistency, 
his high-toned integrity, the width of grasp of his views, which 
allowed dissent from his opinions without alienation. From 
the placid and peaceful retirement of country life, his spirit 
went forth with every effort of the busy world around him to 
advance the glory of God in the salvation of men." 

His literary pursuits brought him many scholarly friends 
from other parts of the country; yet the unvarying testimony 
of all who knew him as a pastor was that he was "laborious, 
patient and faithful," pure and disinterested, unselfish and 
deeply sympathetic. He died March 26, 1861. 

Mr. Robbins was the first minister here to seek a dismis- 
sion; and for a year before his death, he was relieved from active 
service by the Rev. Elias Brewster Hillard, a native of Preston, 
graduated from Yale in 1848, and prepared for the ministry 
at Yale and Andover. He was in Kensington from May 16, 
1860 until February 27, 1867. For nearly a century and a 
half Kensington had enjoyed the lifelong services of her pastors; 
but since the middle of the nineteenth century, shorter terms 
have been more usual everywhere. Mr. Hillard brought much 
energy to his work. He was the war minister of Kensington, 
and no uncertain notes were heard from his pulpit. 

On a certain Sunday morning in April, 1861, he reached 
the church just as the news of Sumter's fall arrived. Instantly, 
his prepared sermon was laid aside, and he delivered a stirring 
address appropriate to the crisis. Throughout the war our 




REV. ARTHUR J. BENEDfCT 




THE CHAPEL 
1888 



79 

flag flew from this church. In the next year, he preached an 
historical discourse on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary 
of the church, and again and again made additions to local 
historical research. He made valuable contributions to the 
Ecclesiastical History of Connecticut, when he supplied a history 
of the church and a list of his predecessors, with some remarks 
as to their work and characters. Many improvements were 
owing to his enterprise. The church and Sunday-school were 
united during his stay. He was an earnest advocate of Pro- 
hibition. His book, "The Last Men of the Revolution," pub- 
lished in 1864 by N. A. & R. A. Moore, is unique. Only seven 
then survived, each of them more than a century old, and Mr. 
Hillard before writing the book interviewed them in their 
homes. In 1867, he left to go to Glastonbury and then 
Plymouth, and died in Farmington. His daughter. Miss Hil- 
lard, is carrying on a gi'eat educational work at Westover, and 
another daughter, having been President of Rockford Seminary, 
now Rockford College, is the wife of Andrew McLeish, Vice 
President of the trustees of Chicago University. 

For a brief year, from July 5, 1868, to June 23, 1869, the 
Rev. Abraham Chittenden Baldwin, Bowdoin 1827, Yale M. A. 
1843, was acting pastor. As he did not reside in Kensington 
during his pastorate, comparatively little is known of his relation 
to this church. He was born in North Guilford in 1804. His 
ministerial career included pastorates in North Guilford and 
Durham and mission work for the Howe Street Church in New 
Haven. He died in Yonkers, New York, in 1887, aged 83. 

On the day of his departure, the Rev. Alfred Tileston 
Waterman was installed. He was graduated from Yale in 
1855, and spent a year in Union Seminary, graduating from 
Princeton Seminary in 1860. He made a public profession of 
his faith in the church of Yale College. He did some home mis- 
sionary work in Vermont and was active in a good many par- 
ishes in New England and the West. His service in Kensington 
was from 1869 to 1874. He was the first to occupy the present 
parsonage. He was a spiritual man, devoted to the welfare 
of his people, and in spite of discouraging circumstances, his 
ministry was very acceptable. His death occurred at Wash- 
ington, D. C, December 29, 1909. 

Of his successor, my Father, the Rev. James Bradford 
Cleaveland, permit me to say that while a student at Yale, 
from which he was graduated in 1847, Divinity School 1851, 



80 

he so exerted himself (according to the late John G. North, of 
New Haven) in behalf of the languishing Temple Street Church 
and Sunday-school for colored people that by his influence and 
that of another they were revived, relieved from debt, and 
encouraged to grow so that they have become the Dixwell 
Avenue Congregational Church. Always a zealous friend of 
the slave, he was impelled to write as follows to President 
Lincoln: "Sir: — Equal to the exigency of the times, your name 
will hereafter be as conspicuous in the history of this nation as 
is that of Moses in the sacred history of Israel. Moses is 
honored as Liberator: that such may be your renowned title on 
the future page of the republic now so ably presided over by 
you, is the prayer of millions." This letter was dated Novem- 
ber 22, 1861; the date of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclama- 
tion was September 23, 1862. 

A descendant of the historian, Gov. Bradford, it was a 
pleasant task that fell to him to "call to remembrance the 
former days," as his text expresses it, in his Centennial Dis- 
course on the history of the Kensington Church, delivered in 
this pulpit July 9, 1876. The first Church Manual, issued in 
1877, was prepared in his time and under his direction. His 
first pastorate was in Durham, (the scene of Dr. Ehzur Good- 
rich's labors.) After pastorates in South Egi'em.ont, where 
Mrs. Cleaveland wrote "No Sects in Heaven," in Goshen, New 
Hartford, and Bloomfield, he came hither in 1875, remaining 
with this church until 1879. His residence was in New Haven 
at the time of his death, which occurred May 21, 1889. May 
I quote from the estimate of his character which appeared 
June 6, 1889 in the Religious Herald: 

"In his social relations he was natural, unassuming and 
original. A dry humor always pervaded his conversation and 
many of his contributions for the press, and his witty and 
almost quaint remarks carried with them the impress of a 
strong personality, yet he never trifled but was intensely candid 
and sincere. Policy was no element in his character. He 
could not deceive and he would never compromise with evil. 
He never shrank from siding with the few as against the many 
if the few were in the right." 

The stay of Rev. Cornelius Morrow was only three years, 
but his devoted spirit made an impression here as everywhere 
where he lived. After graduation from Columbia in 1876, and 
Union Seminary in 1879, he began his ministry here in the 



81 

latter year. Hartford county was not unknown to him, since 
his uncle, the Rev. Nathaniel J. Burton, had long been one of 
the distinguished preachers of Hartford. His stay, however, 
was saddened by the death of his little boy, and by his own 
illness, which obliged him to resign. In his succeeding parishes, 
Bethlehem, Danbury, and Norwich, Dr. Morrow won hearts 
as he had in Kensington, by his inspiring and helpful ministra- 
tions. Christian Endeavor and Sunday-school work have 
received an impetus wherever he has been, and his hearers 
everywhere cherish a lively remembrance of his spiritual preach- 
ing and teaching. The young man who held his modest course 
among you has become one of the important factors in the 
success of Fisk University, where for ten years he has been 
the College Pastor and the Professor of Philosophy, cheering 
and uplifting the earnest ones of that down-trodden race. Thus 
two consecutive ministers of this church have been of notable 
benefit to the Africans among us. 

Rev. Arthur J. Benedict, glorified by the Amherst Records 
as the only survivor of the Class of 1872 representatives in the 
Amherst College crew which won in 16 minutes, 32 4-5 seconds, 
the Intercollegiate boat race in 1872, occupied this pulpit from 
1882 to 1889. It was a time of new enterprises. The Christian 
Endeavor Society was organized with his assistance, and during 
his pastorate this venerable edifice was repaired and improved 
(so that it could present the appropriate and attractive appear- 
ance of today.) The old church in its new dress was re-dedi- 
cated; and on that occasion Mr. Benedict gave an historical 
address in which were gathered and preserved many precious 
bits of local history. An article prepared by him for the Con- 
necticut Magazine, with much research and judgment, is an 
accurate and valuable contribution to Kensington history. 
Mr. Benedict was the guiding spirit of the Harvest Festival 
from which has grown the great Berlin Agi'icultural Society. 

He has carried New England ideas to the home missionary 
field, and is now in charge of the Congregational Home Mis- 
sionary Society and Congregational Sunday School and Pub- 
lishing Society for southern Arizona and lives in Tombstone, 
Arizona. 

The three years which the Rev. Henry L. Hutchins spent 
here must have been a happy period in his interesting life. Of 
Connecticut birth and Yale education, a great part of his 
experience was in the distant West. Still, immediately after 



82 

his graduation from the Yale Divinity School, he became pastor 
of the Taylor Church in New Haven, laboring to such effect 
there for seven years that he returned later in life for a second 
period of service. 

The need of Christian workers called him to East Tawas 
and Tawas City in Michigan, and thence to Gunnison, on the 
Pacific side of the Rocky Mountains. There all four of his 
children died of scarlet fever within one month, and he followed 
them from a desolate home to desolate graves. Nevertheless 
he did not relax his efforts in Gunnison, and had built a church 
and house there when his mother's illness summoned him to 
the East. It was after some years of faithful missionary work 
in Massachusetts that he came here, where he did, he said, 
"the most successful work of his life." He made a map of the 
parish dividing it into districts for neighborhood prayer meet- 
ings, which were notably successful, 87 people attending these 
meetings in one week. 

Work in the state for the Bible Society engaged him for 
some years, and at a meeting in New Haven, he read some re- 
sults of his investigations in country parishes, which aroused 
alarmed comment. The incorrect reports in the papers deeply 
pained him, and it has been suggested that they may have 
caused his sudden death, three days later. Let his class biog- 
raphy give his epitaph. "He lived the profession that he 
made. * * * Both by positive service and by submission 
to God's will he exemplified the things which he taught as 
fundamental." He wrote of his life: — "It has been a success 
in one particular, of proving the power of God in His rich 
promises and of the Gospel to save. It has confirmed me in a 
faith in that divine mission of man on earth, and the ultimate 
glory of God's kingdom." 

He was followed in 1892 by Rev. Magee Pratt, an English- 
man, who, before coming to this country, had espoused the 
cause of reform, beginning to speak at nineteen, for National 
Education ; and afterwards as first lecturer of the Peace Society, 
appeared in many English cities and in every reform hall in 
London. It was a rare experience for a country village to have 
in the pulpit one who had come from discussing, in the great 
metropolis of the world, the burning questions of the day. 
Noteworthy among his efforts in this parish was his work among 
the Italians. Ten Italians united with this church under his 
ministry in 1894, two of whom have become ministers of the 



83 

Gospel. Mr. Pratt is passionately fond of flowers and is keenly- 
interested in horticulture. While carrying on his present par- 
ish work in Granby, he accomplishes much in a literary way, 
and is heard all over the country through the press. 

The Rev. William B. Tuthill, a graduate of Colby Univer- 
sity, came hither from the Hartford Theological Seminary, 
after spending a year at Union, and was ordained here in 1897. 
He spent only two years here, which were happy years for all 
concerned. The beneficial effect of his forceful upbuilding and 
strengthening work for this church is still manifest. He had 
been prominent in his life at college and was president of his 
class. After pastorates at East Hartford, Conn., and Leomin- 
ster, Mass., he returned to Maine, where he is now settled over 
Woodfords, in Portland, one of the most important Congre- 
gational churches in that state, having the largest Sunday- 
school of any Congregational church in Maine. 

A graduate of Harvard and of Hartford Theological Semi- 
nary followed him, the Rev. Alonzo Ferdinand Travis, who 
remained four years, a time during which the much-needed 
and much-enjoyed church parlors were built, and the Men's 
Lyceum, a noteworthy organization, was founded. To him, 
also the years in Kensington were delightful. Now his activity 
is transferred to the great city, and he is religious director of 
the 23rd Street Y. M. C. A. in New York, an association of 
nearly four thousand members. Perhaps, during the peaceful 
years here, the energy was stored away which is vitalizing New 
York. [While this publication is in preparation for the press, 
word is received of his sudden death while bathing, at Green 
Harbor, Mass., Aug. 6, 1913.] 

His successor, the Rev. Edgar H. Olmstead, although born 
in Michigan and educated at the Tri-State College at Angola, 
Indiana, and at Oberlin, was simply reverting to the old haunts 
of his family when he came here, for he is descended from James 
Olmstead, one of the original proprietors of Hartford, a charter 
member of the Center Church there. James Olmstead is 
buried in that historic burying-ground there, land which was 
originally assigned to his nephew, Richard Olmstead, but was 
afterwards voted to be used as a burial ground. He went from 
his first church in Cleveland to Granby, and thence to Ken- 
sington, where his stay was four years to a day; and he is now 
continuing his good work in the Congregational Church at 
Greenfield Hill in Fairfield, Conn. His pastorate here was 



84 

crowned with success in securing a large increase in missionary 
offerings, and forty-five were added to the church. 

Of the present incumbent, who comes of a family distin- 
guished in the ministry and other professions, let his work in 
indefatigable and successful labors for this anniversary alone 
speak for him. His delvings into the musty records of the 
past have probably made him better qualified to tell the history 
of this ancient church than any other living historian. More 
and more does he endear himself to the people of this parish 
and town. Long may he be here, and let some future bard 
sing his praises. 

Since the Civil War, the terms of service have been short, 
and the consequent number of ministers has forbidden the 
pleasure of speaking at length of individuals. But the general 
statement may be made that the sojourn here among cordial 
parishioners and beautiful scenery, has almost always been 
fraught with present and retrospective pleasure; and that all 
your ministers have lived here with the single puipose of glori- 
fying God through the extension of his kingdom. It is note- 
worthy that so many of them have been imbued with the 
missionary spirit of uplifting the poor and ignorant, and have 
brought from other fields to this quiet altar, the flame of enthusi- 
asm for the world's redemption. 

Perhaps the difference is not so great as we think, between 
the pioneer Burnham, the aristocratic Clark, the patriarchal 
Upson, the scholarly Robbins, and the men of modern times. 
All, like Mr. Hutchins, have had true success in "proving the 
power of God in His rich promises and of the Gospel to men." 

And of them all the Kensington church may well be proud. 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL 

Mr. Arthur W. Upson 

Admiration of excellence is a part of the foundation of all 
noble character. This brief sketch is intended to discover to us 
this excellence and to express this admiration. In the light of 
the fact that the Sunday-school has, since Robert Raikes origi- 
nated it in Gloucester, England, exerted a greater influence 
for good than any other institution of the church, our privilege 
today is great beyond measure. 

The persons now living who were members of the Kensing- 
ton Sunday-school at or very near the date of its formal organ- 
ization in 1835 are Miss Harriet Hotchkiss, Frederick H. Nor- 
ton, Henry A. Robbins and Henry M. Cowles. The first three 
of these names appear in a library record book, to which refer- 
ence will be made later, under date of 1835, and the fourth name 
first appears under date of June, 1836. By the mercy of God 
Deacon Henry M. Cowles and Mr. Frederick H. Norton are 
present with us today in the flesh. 

The earliest record found of the existence of the school 
is that it was one of the six schools forming the "Sabbath 
School Union for Wethersfield and Berlin, auxiliary to Connect- 
icut Sabbath School Union" in 1832. The last minute of that 
meeting is, "Voted, to appoint the six Superintendents as a 
Committee of Visitors for the year ensuing, viz.: 

Mr. Horace Wolcott, Wethersfleld 

Deacon Israel Williams, Rocky Hill 

Deacon Wells, Newington 

Mr. Sheldon Moore, Esquire, Kensington 
Mr. Chauncey Cornwall, New Britain 

Mr. Lewis Edwards, Worthington 

In 1833 this committee reported for Kensington, "No. of 
School 35; the Concert of prayer is held." These six schools 
of the Union, according to its records, were organized as follows: 
New Britain 1816; Wethersfield 1817; Newington, 1818; Ber- 



86 

lin 1819; Rocky Hill 1827; Kensington 1835. The term "organ- 
ized," as applied to the local school, is taken to mean a 
formal organization with a constitution. 

The years 1825 and 1826 were pioneer years in the organi- 
zation of Sunday-school Unions in America. The American 
and the Connecticut Sunday School Unions were both insti- 
tuted in 1825. At its second annual meeting at New Haven 
in 1826 the Board of Managers of the Connecticut Union re- 
ported: "The Board has still later information, that the Na- 
tional Society, although it is but little more than eighteen months 
from the date of its formation, now numbers 377 auxiliary 
branches, existing in twenty-three out of the twenty-four 
United States." And while it is hardly credible to the writer 
that the Kensington school should not have come into existence 
until several years after the formation of the Union and so 
much later than the group of five schools above referred to, 
the records do not help us and the accredited membership of 35 
in 1833 indicates that the school was comparatively weak in 
numbers; but the records of the local union show that Ken- 
sington received fair honor as well as responsibility from the 
very first. 

In the report of the Semi-Centennial of the Wethersfield 
and Berlin Sunday School Union, published in 1884, a foot note 
refers to the report of E. W. Robbins in 1859, "It is supposed 
that this school was organized earlier than reported" (1835). 
The date there assigned is 1819. A note in Mr. Robbins' 
Sketch of Kensington adds: "Dr. Horatio Gridley is believed 
to have been the first Superintendent." He graduated at 
Andover Theological Seminary in 1818, and on account of ill 
health turned to the study of m.edicine. 

The preamble of the "Constitution of the Kensington 
Sabbath School Association," which was formed in 1835, reads: 
"The Subscribers impressed with the great importance of a 
well-organized Sabbath School in this place to the true 
interests of the rising generation and to both the temporal 
and religious interests of this people hereby associate our- 
selves together for this purpose and such of us as have 
children of suitable age pledge ourselves to encourage and 
endeavor to cause their attendance on the school and all 
of us to give our support and encouragement to it and to 
adopt the following Rules for the Organization and conduct 
of the School." We observe that this was not the organization 



87 

of a Sunday-school but of an association for conducting such 
a school, which was at that time a common method of direct- 
ing such work. This Association continued until 1864, when 
it was superseded by the church in the conduct of its own school. 
Article 6 of these Rules reads: "The Pastor of this Church 
shall be requested to preach a sermon favorable to the cause 
of Sabbath Schools and to take up a Contribution on some Sab- 
bath in each year for the increase of the Library and the pur- 
chase of proper Books for instruction in the School." In 1841 
the Union voted its wish that the ministers preach twice each 
year upon the subject of Sabbath Schools. In a fragmentary 
financial record found in the back of the library record pre- 
viously mentioned, the books for instruction are called "ques- 
tion books," and they appear to have been sold annually. 
Article 7 of the Rules reads: "There shall be contribution of 
such teachers and scholars as shall choose to contribute of one 
cent or more a month, to be disposed of, either for the purchase 
of books for the school or for establishing Sabbath Schools in 
other places as shall be determined by the Officers of the 
Association." These Rules are concluded by a P. S. reading: 
"The above Constitution was formed A. D. 1835 and the school 
has prospered till this day (but there is no Record) and the 
association of the Union" (meaning the Wethersfield and Berlin 
Union) "requested all Secretaries to keep records and report 
the same. I therefore take the liberty to copy the constitu- 
tion and the 26 signers and commence the records from this 
the 10th day of April, 1841. (Signed) Jno. G. North, Secretary." 
The members signing these articles of association in 1835 
were: Royal Robbins, Sheldon Moore, Jabez Langdon, Albert 
Norton, Wm. Stocking, Cypr'n. Goodrich, Edw. Norton, Milo 
Hotchkiss, Horace Haskell, Matt'w. Judd, Geo. Cornwall, 
Isaac Botsford, R. Moore, Jr., Ira Kent, M. C. Frances, H. B. 
Stocking, A. I. Dunham, Ebenezer Hill, Avery Hough, J. W. 
Judd, Wm. J. Bunce, Geo. Cowles, Geo. J. Norton, Friend 
Street, Wm. Yale and Selden Peck. The signers in 1841 were 
Jno. G. North, Ashbel Dickinson, Henry Stow and H. S. 
Durand. There follow carefully and neatly kept records of 
meetings, votes and elections of officers, and semi-annual or 
annual reports (lacking in some years) up to 1863. The 
officers chosen in 1841 were Jabez Langdon, President; Jno. 
G. North, Secy.; Milo Hotchkiss, Supt.; Thos. Upson, Supt. 
Asst.; Roswell Moore, Jr., Librarian and Treasurer; and he 



88 

with Royal Robbins, Committee to purchase books. Officers 
for the year 1863 were: John Upson, President; E. W. Rob- 
bins, Secy, and Trcas.; John Upson, Supt.; F. H. Norton, 
Asst. do.; Oliver Kent, Librarian. The constitution also pro- 
vided for an executive committee of one person in each School 
District, and in 1845 it was "Voted that one Lady in each Dis- 
trict be appointed executive committee," in addition to the men. 

In his report in 1841 Secretary North says: "Our 
school since the reorganization in the spring has been in a 
flourishing condition. Numbers of youth and children have 
joined the school so that we have now 189 Resident Members, 
137 of which are regular attendants. 32 of the above number 
are the fathers and mothers who feeling an interest in the 
Spiritual Welfare of their children have formed an adult class, 
that other adults may be benefitted by their instructions." 
In the next report, in March 1842, he says: "The cause of 
Benevolence in general has since the last report received atten- 
tion, the scholars have an opportunity once in each month to 
contribute for the support of the various charities which require 
aid ; and thus we trust the way will be prepared for the exercise 
of that expansive benevolence which shall ultimately lead to the 
conviction that the World is our country, and that it is our duty 
to labor in the fear of God for all mankind as our Brethren — ." 
In March 1845, Edward Norton, Jr., Secretary, reports: "As 
a general thing the children have been very attentive to their 
teachers and when any thing has been said for the benefit of 
the School they have given their strict and undivided attention. 

We have, it is true, labored under some disadvantages 

in regard to books; for there are at least three different kinds 
of books used in school, besides that used in the Infant Classes. 
Whereas if we had but one kind we could better comply with 
the 4th article of the Constitution by holding Teachers' Meet- 
ings ." 

We cannot but wonder what stress of competition caused 
the amendment of the constitution in 1848, as follows: "Voted 
to amend the constitution so that after voting twice for a 
Superintendent without choice a plurality shall elect the third 
time." Pastor Robbins was at this meeting formally invited 
"to preach a sermon on the subject of Sabbath Schools," 
and a similar vote appears frequently on record. The 11th 
annual report in 1852 is in this form : "This has been emphatic- 
ally a year of good things. The school has been very well 



89 

attended. Whole number of members about 125, average 
attendance nearly 100. By the mercy of God in blessing the 
efforts and answering the prayers of the S. S. in connection 
with those of our devoted Pastor who has always manifested 
so deep an interest in the welfare of the young, we have had 
20 or 21 hopeful conversions. Of these persons 15 have taken 
Christ as their only Saviour, Prophet, Priest and King and 
publicly and solemnly promised through the help of divine 
grace to live in all respects according to the rules and precepts 
of the Gospel. By this we see that 'Zion still is well beloved' 
and are encouraged to increase our labors. In the past year 
we have not had one death." (Signed) H. Upson, Secy, 

The records of the Wethersfield and Berlin Union yield 
material of very great interest. Deacon Isaac Botsford of 
Kensington was president of the union from 1837 to 1844 
inclusive, only two terms exceeding that in length ; while Samuel 
Upson was second Vice President from 1859 to 1866 inclusive. 
A system of visitation between the schools was inaugurated 
at the start. By vote of the union the committees of visitation 
were forbidden to travel on the Sabbath in fulfilling their duties. 
Teachers' meetings were held on Saturday evenings so that the 
visitors could be present. At the meeting in Kensington in 
1835 the Superintendents were charged with the responsibility 
of visiting all the schools twice annually and reporting. Visi- 
tation has continued spasmodically up to very recent years. 

In 1836 the members of the school were reported as "90, 
60 children and 30 adults, and 11 helpful concerts held." 
These concerts were commonly called "monthly concerts of 
prayer," and consisted of songs, recitations and exercises by 
the children, prayer for the cause of Sunday Schools and some- 
times an address. These concerts were continued in Kensing- 
ton through the pastorate of Rev. E. B. Hillard. In the record 
of the anniversary in 1865 is found this minute: "An inter- 
esting discussion arose on the question whether theS. S. Concerts 
and other labors were not for show more than the Glory of 
God and Salvation of Souls — result was a conviction that songs 
and attractions might be used to gain attention provided the 
exercises were sactified by the Word of God and Prayer." 

In 1837 it was reported, "Members 125, 12 teachers, meet 
once in 2 weeks." In 1838, "two thirds of the children attend 
in the parish. No. of school 182 — efforts have been made to 
exclude works of fiction." At the "14th October Convention" 



90 

held in Newington in 1841 it was "Resolved, that in the opinion 
of the Meeting there ought to be for each School a revising and 
expurgating Committee whose duty it shall be to examine all 
Books." In 1841 Mr. Hotchkiss reported "three fourths of the 
whole congregation attend the school — 63 Temp. Advocates 
circulated." This seems to have yielded results; for in 1842 
at the anniversary in Kensington the report was : "Membership 
229, 10 classes, average number 135, hopeful conversions 28 — 
Interesting revival, some drunkards reformed and converted 
in the parish." In 1850 Mr. G. Upson reports among other 
items, "70 vol. given to school in Wolcott." This must have 
been either loyalty or favoritism, for Wolcott was Mr. Upson's 
native place. Other items reported in '50 are, "14 united with 
the church, 21 hopeful converts." In '54 the report included, 
"20 hopeful converts, 11 united with the church, revival season 
enjoyed this year." In '58 the report contains this note: "Dinner 
provided at Town Hall in Kensington thus saving time and pro- 
moting our happiness." In 1859 Edw. W. Robbins, Secretary, 
reported: "No. of teachers and officers 17, whole number 
142, no converts, no deaths, library 500 vols., added to Church 
from S. S. 6, no concert, no teachers' meeting, no contrib. and 
no weekly record is kept." The next year this negative report 
was bettered by a contribution, and in 1864 the collections 
amounted to $52.75, perhaps because the church sustained 
the school. In 1861 a "Mission S. S. in Blue Hills" is mentioned. 
(n 1862 Mr. Robbins reports: "W. No. 136, av. 68, failed 2 
Sabb., noon 35 min., Coll. $9.47, Deaths 2, Soldiers for the army 
10, per cent of Ch. engaged as off. teachers or learners 37}/^." 
In connection with the pathetic item, "failed 2 Sabb.," we 
must notice the apparent faithfulness of all in the school and 
quote rules iii, vii and xii, as suggested by the Connecticut 
Sunday School Union in 1826: iii. "It shall be the duty of the 
teachers to hear the lessons of their scholars without prompting 
and to keep a record in their class books of the punctuality of 
attendance and the number of verses learned by each scholar; 
to see that the children do not recite so loud as to interrupt 
each other; to use all the means in their power to secure their 
confidence and affection, and especially to converse with them 
in a plain familiar manner on the subject of their lessons and 
religion." vii. "If any of the children are absent from the 
school, it shall be the duty of their teachers to call upon their 
parents during the week, learn the reason of their absence, 



91 

and report them to the teachers' meeting on the next Friday 
evening." xii. "Any scholars necessarily detained from the 
school may recover their standing, on their return, by reciting 
an additional number of verses until they make up the defic- 
iency." These rules are found in a most interesting printed 
report of the second anniversary meeting of the Union in 1826, 
here on exhibition through the courtesy of Mr. Francis Deming 
of Berlin. 

At this time it is not deemed best to refer at length to 
the later history of the school. We may say reverently and 
thankfully the words written by Sec. North in 1841: "The 
school has prospered till this day." 

In 1864, when a plan of connecting the school directly 
with the church was adopted, following soon after some revis- 
ion of the church organization a resolution was adopted by 
both Sunday-school and church as follows: "Whereas the 
Church is the divinely established organization for the religious 
work in this world: and whereas the mission of the Sunday 
School in the religious instruction of the young in preparation 
for their reception into the Communion of Christ in His Church 
is auxiliary to this of the Church: Wherefore, Resolved that 
this Sunday School connect itself with the Church with which 
it is associated, as one of its agencies in the prosecution of its 
divine enterprise." The church now chooses the chief officers 
of the school, and provides for the ordinary expenses, leaving 
the school a good measure of self-government, and freedom in 
directing its charities. 

In a "Kensington S. S. Library Account Book," dated 
1835, appear the names of seven classes of 55 boys, and seven 
classes of 60 girls. If we add to this the 30 adults reported to 
the local Union in 1836, the total membership, including officers 
and teachers, was about 165, — a pretty lusty Sunday-school 
babe of three years! In the back of this book is the account 
of R. Moore, Jr., for three years. One item reads: "To one 
Dollar pd. to H. Haskell for visitor;" another, "To cash paid 
for hymn book at New Haven 23c.," and a third, "Paid to the 
Worthington S. S. Society for Question Books $3.08." From 
the beginning Royal Robbins drew 33 books in 37 consecutive 
weeks; Nelson Cowles drew 37 books in 43 weeks; Frederick 
H. Norton drew 31 books in 40 weeks; and Wyllys Hart drew 
35 books in 42 weeks. The titles of the first ten books drawn 
by Royal E. Robbins are: "Scripture Biographical Dictionary;" 



92 

2, "Memoirs of Harlan Page;" 3, "Memoirs of Isabella Camp- 
bell;" 4, "Faith Explained to Children;" 5, "Scottish Loom 
Boy;" 6, "Memoirs of John Knill;" 1, "Pastoral Sketches;" 8, 
"Memoirs of John Mooney Mead;" 9, "History of the Patri- 
archs;" 10, "A Guide to Christ." Other titles are: "Child's 
Book on the Sabbath," "Right and Wrong," "History of an 
Old Pocket Bible," "Pleasantness of a Religious Life," "Repent- 
ance Explained to Children," "Elizabeth C. or Early Piety," 
"Juliana Oakley, a tale," "How to be Happy," "Affectionate 
Daughter-in-Law," "Advice to the Teens," "Memoir of an 
Infant Scholar," "Youth's Book of Natural Theology," "Sun- 
day School Teacher's Dream," "Persuasions to Early Piety," 
"Life of Rev. David Brainerd," "The Child's Book of Repent- 
ance," "The Flowers of the Forest," "A Call to the Uncon- 
verted," "Henry on Meekness," "Jonah's Plight or Danger 
of Neglect," "Filial Obedience," "King Solomon's Councils to 
the Young," "Astronomy by Rev. Cyrus Mann," "Brief 
Memoir of Mahomed Ali Bey," "Anecdotes of Sunday Schools," 
"The Lottery Ticket," "The Model Family," "Faithful Nar- 
ration of the Conversion of many Souls," "Pilgrim's Progress," 
"Six Months in a Convent," "Life of Cotton Mather," "Pro- 
spective Missions in China," two copies of "History of the 
Reformation," a series of "Temperance Tales," and books on 
missions in West Africa, Ceylon, and the Chickasaw and Osage 
missions, — 315 titles in all. 

The presidents of the Kensington Sunday School Asso- 
ciation were: 

Jabez Langdon 1841 

Deacon Cyprian Goodrich 1842-5, 50, 51, 62 

Albert Norton 1846-7 

Horace Haskell 1848-9 

Roswell Moore 1852 

Ira Cole 1853-5 

Isaac Upson 1856 

Gustavus Upson 1857 

George Cowles 1858 

Ira Kent 1861 

John Upson 1863 

Between the years 1841 and 1863 Thomas Upson and eight 
of his eleven sons and a daughter were, at one time or another, 
officers of the association, viz.: Gustavus, Isaac H., Samuel, 



93 

William, John, Henry, Ambrose, Seth P. and Harriet. Of 
these Thomas, Gustavus, William, Samuel and John were 
superintendents. Three of a later generation have also been 
superintendents, Theron, Willis H. and Arthur W. In 1835 
R. Moore, Jr., was librarian and treasurer, and in 1843 Nelson 
A. Moore was chosen secretary, and nearly every year until 
1857 the name of one or the other appears as an officer, and 
often both were officers at the same time. The name of E. W. 
Robbins appears as secretary in 1854 and in that year he framed 
an annual report which is a classic. 

No history of the Sunday-school would be complete with- 
out reference to the horse-shed class. The school has up to 
recent years had for its most numerous constituency the agri- 
cultural class. Up to about 1875 the sessions of the Sunday- 
school were held between the morning and afternoon preaching 
services. The opportunity to visit and exchange news and 
views on live stock, the state of crops and the market, politics, 
both local and national, and social happenings, was not to be 
lost by those men who let the attendance and study of the Bible 
by their wives and children answer for their own. In this 
class were discussed with unblushing freedom the application 
of the principles of the Bible to the conduct of others, if not 
the principles themselves. Here many domestic innovations 
were predicted, steered, criticized and frequently, their advice 
being ignored, condemned. Here reputation was made, caused 
to tremble in the balance and destroyed. Here questions of 
statesmanship were discussed, decided and declared. Here 
feuds and foibles were aired, here ridicule, jest and story 
abounded. Here every man was officer, teacher and pupil. 
Here he who cracked the long lash of the whip over the backs 
of his employer's oxen and he who v/as a great landed proprietor 
and the owner of herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and addressed 
as 'Squire were heard with equal respect. Here met the men 
who, in many cases holding office in the ecclesiastical society 
and the Sunday-school association, yet deemed their duty 
done toward the church and school when they attended upon 
the preaching of the Word, paid their taxes, attended to the 
prudential affairs and gave encouragement to the piety of 
their wives, children and domestics. And certain it is that 
for the most part the judgments of this class were just. For 
the most part it was composed of good men and true. Its 
opprobrium was held in righteous fear and its approval sought 



94 

throughout the community. But what pangs did it cost the 
godly minister, the consecrated teacher and the pious wife! 
What fervent intercession was made for these sinners, these 
neglecters of the means of grace! 

And the Christmas, Memorial, Independence, and more 
recently the Children's Day celebrations filled a place in the 
lives of the little ones, which, united with the loving and enthus- 
iastic help of the parents and elders, created ties which can never 
be broken, and which have been and will be perfected in the 
better land. 

Finally tribute should be paid to the all-inclusive maternal 
overcharge of the church. No two institutions could be more 
closely knit together than this school and church. May this 
union, with all beneficent forces, give to them good success 
through days without number. 





REV. WILLIAM B. TUTHILL 



REV. A. FERDINAND TRAVIS 




REV. EDGAR H. OLMSTEAD 



REV. CARLETON HAZEN 



REV. HORACE HOOKER, D. D. 

By Rev. Sherrod Soule 

Superintendent of The Missionary Society of Connecticut 

The oldest Missionary Society in the United States salut- 
eth this worthy church which is four score and six years older. 
You are congratulated on two centuries of existence and the 
endurance has not been simply lasting but splendid life. We 
are today surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses contained 
in the successive generations of believers for two hundred 
years. The lines of this church have gone out through all the 
world. My message is not to merely mention what this church 
owes to The Missionary Society of Connecticut but to acknowl- 
edge with great gladness and genuine gratitude what the Mis- 
sionary Society owes to this church. It is a matter of record 
that in 1845 the Missionary Society as the big brother of all 
the churches of Connecticut held out its helping hand to this 
church in a time of brief need. This was a period in Connecti- 
cut Congregational church life when many an old church felt 
its strength numerically and financially slipping away due to 
the manufacturing magnets, many and mighty. New Britain, 
Middletown, Meriden, Wallingford, Bristol, Southington and 
Plainville were booming industrially and farms were forsaken 
by the youth, and Kensington felt the pull. The hand of the 
Missionary Society held out to you was not empty though it 
contained only a paltry pittance of $75; but it seemed to be 
sufficient for the first and only aid to the injured. That small 
amount has been returned probably a hundred fold with com- 
pound interest. But more than money requital you gave a 
man which places the Missionary Society in hopeless arrears 
to you and places us under willing and everlasting bonds of 
gratitude. 

Some mile or more from this meeting house a boy was born, 
March 25, 1793. The father was a farmer, Elijah Hooker by 
name, and a direct descendant of the famous divine, Thomas 



96 

Hooker, who laid the foundation, not only of this Common- 
wealth but of the nation. The boy's mother's maiden name was 
Susannah Judd and her first marriage was to Samuel Seymour, 
names all notable in this locality and also state wide. His 
early life could not have been lonesome even in the country, 
for he was the last, though by no means the least, of twelve 
children. He was early set apart for a liberal education if not 
for the ministerial profession. His preparatory school was a 
minister's study in an ancient house now standing in Newing- 
ton and his preceptor was Rev. Joab Brace, D.D., who had a 
full half century pastorate in that parish. The lad became a 
man of twenty-two when he received his diploma from Yale. 
He taught in Hartford and tutored in his Alma Mater and he 
was both apt and able in his calling. But theology lured him 
and so he added preacher to pedagogue in his list of profes- 
sions. Two years he was pastor of the ancient and honorable 
church in Watertown. In 1824 we find him in Hartford and 
adding to his role of accomplishments that of journalism, being 
editor of the "Connecticut Observer." Finding himself suffic- 
ient for the conquering of more worlds he assumed a secretarial 
position and became the executive head of The Missionary 
Society of Connecticut, filling it with great grace and rare 
efTectiveness for more than thirty eight years until the time 
he fell asleep, December 17, 1864, aged three score ten and one 
years. 

The name of this person was no other than Rev. Horace 
Hooker, D.D. He must have had a busy brain and the pen of 
a ready writer for with and besides his secretarial work for the 
Missionary Society we find publications not a few and of merit; 
articles on preaching, memorial discourses, lectures on the 
Sabbath, religious books for children, a volume of moral and 
mental import for farmers. He seems to be the pioneer in the 
problem of the country church. He had a partnership in com- 
piling and preparing a Psalm and Hymn Book for Christian 
Use and Worship, fathered and fostered by the General Asso- 
ciation of Connecticut. Then he issued reading books, spelling 
books and dictionaries for school children. Such were his 
versatile and valuable accomplishments; teacher, preacher, 
missionary secretary, editor and writer, and he did all of these 
and all of these he did well. 

His work of nearly forty years for and with The Missionary 
Society of Connecticut was wide, wise, effective and enduring. 



97 

He came to the office at an important time. He was a clear 
thinker, a forcible speaker, finished in rhetoric, able in admin- 
istration and above all, a Christian clear through. 

Under his administration missionary receipts were increased 
and missionary work, within and without the state, was en- 
hanced. Following the occasion of his death the Trustees of 
the Missionary Society put this upon its record: "By the 
death of Horace Hooker * * * the Society has lost an 
active and efficient officer and a devoted, faithful servant. 
For more than thirty-eight years he managed its affairs and 
conducted its correspondence with singular ability and wisdom; 
thus securing the fullest confidence of the Society and its 
Trustees and the esteem of all its missionaries." 

Turning from this official record to one brief extract from 
a private testimonial we come closer to the heart of the man: 
"My personal acquaintance with Rev. Mr. Hooker and my re- 
lation to him as a missionary pastor for seven years has endeared 
him to me as a father in the work of the Gospel ministry. 
His courteousness, generosity, good will and transparency of 
character have been apparent to all who knew him. He was 
a brother beloved. He has a seat in my heart forever." 

In spite of Mr. Hooker's rather recent death and long and 
able service in public calling he is a very elusive personality. I 
have as yet found no one who knew him personally. I find few 
of his many books remaining and I can as yet discover no por- 
trait of him. But the record of his work is written in the ar- 
chives and accomplishments of the Society that I have the honor 
to represent. Running through forty years are his reports 
which reveal a good man, even a great man. So on this two 
century celebration of this church I bring you this tribute of 
hearty, holy thanks for the life and labor of Horace Hooker, 
born and raised up in this historic parish, who gave his strong 
power and personality to the promotion of the interests of The 
Missionary Society of Connecticut to the enhancement of Con- 
gregationalism in this Commonwealth and the enlargement of 
the kingdom of God in the nation and in the world. 



THE GLORY OF AN OLD NEW ENGLAND TOWN 

A Typical Village — Its Great Men Were Good Men — How They Left 

Their Mark 

By Rev. Francis E. Clark 

(Prom The Christian Endeavor World, Aug. 8, 1912.) 

It has been my privilege recently to attend the celebration 
of the two hundredth anniversary of one of the oldest churches 
in the old Nutmeg State, the Congregational church of Kensing- 
ton, Connecticut. 

Many a moon has waxed and waned since that old church 
was founded in 1712. In 1712 Queen Anne was on the throne. 
Since that day the Georges I., II., III., and IV. have reigned 
and, according to Thackeray, largely made a botch of the 
undertaking. To three of them Connecticut owed allegiance 
before, with the rest of the States, she decided that a republican 
form of government was good enough for her. 

George Washington and all the Presidents since, down to 
William Howard Taft, have secured the allegiance of the sturdy 
citizens of this old town, to whatever party they belonged. 

Some of the original New England Puritan families are 
still represented in the town, and some of the children bear the 
names of their gi-eat-great-grandfathers. But, as in all the 
rest of New England, there have been many changes in the 
population; and many foreigners from the ends of the earth, 
specially a swarm of Italians, have settled among these beauti- 
ful hills and valleys. Still, the town retains its individuahty, 
and the church of the town is perhaps as vigorous as ever, 
though the congregations are doubtless smaller than in the 
days when few but the Puritans lived in Connecticut. 

Kensington is distinctly a country town. The people are 
chiefly farmers. The beautiful rolling hills, clothed with green 
to their very tops, so characteristic of this, one of the loveliest 
States in the Union, with the valleys between, constitute the 



99 

natural features of this old town; and one wishing for sylvan 
beauty and rural charm need not go far from Kensington to 
find it. 

But not only are the hills and valleys, the groves and the 
dashing brooks, the same as in the days of George I.; but the 
characteristics of the people remain much the same, and every- 
where are evidences of thrift and good management in the well- 
cultivated farms, the well-pruned orchards, and the houses in 
good repair. 

At first the people went to church at Farmington, ten 
miles away, the women walking back and forth under the pro- 
tection of the guns of their fathers and husbands for fear of the 
tomahawk and scalping-knife of the Indians. Tradition declares 
that "one enterprising and pious couple drew their baby in 
a bread-tray over the snow to worship." After a short time 
a society was organized in "that desolate corner of the wilder- 
ness" to maintain "ye worship & ordinance of Jesus Christ." 
Thus at the very beginning the church put its stamp upon the 
town, a stamp which it has always been willing to bear. 

A stranger from the bustling centres of so-called civiliza- 
tion, coming to this village, would consider it to be located in 
a back eddy of civilization, while the stream of progress had 
flowed past it, leaving few marks of twentieth-century hustle 
and bustle; yet I venture to say that there are few places where 
life is better worth living than in this quiet Connecticut village. 
Here character has been formed. Here saints and heroes 
have been reared, and from this little town have gone forth 
men to be presidents of colleges, professors in theological 
schools, missionaries and ministers, and many a man to fight 
for his country in her hours of direst need. 

The town boasts of the poet Percival and of the artist 
Moore, of a general in the Revolutionary army, and of many 
a man who has made his mark on a smaller or larger segment 
of this old world. 

And very largely this New England village, like so many 
others, owes its moral sturdiness and its continued prosperity 
for more than two centuries to the little church whose two 
hundredth anniversary has just been observed, to the ministers 
who have preached from its pulpit, and to the theology and 
morals which they taught. 

Indeed, the history of the town is largely the history of 
the pastors of this church; and to call the roll of these ministers 



100 

— Rev. William Burnham, Dr. Benoni Upson, Rev. Royal 
Robbins, Rev. Elias B. Hillard, to mention only some of the 
older ones of the long succession — is to mention the chief bene- 
factors of the town, who, more than all others, have put the 
mark of their godly common sense, Christian piety, and patriot- 
ism upon its history. The present pastor, Rev. Carleton Hazen, 
keeps up the goodly succession. 

In Kensington was erected the first monument to the 
soldiers of the Civil War known in this country. Almost before 
the boom of the guns of Gettysburg had died away upon the 
startled air. Rev. Mr. Hillard, who was then pastor, aroused 
the enthusiasm of the people of Kensington; and they erected 
this monument by popular subscription. It was chiselled from 
a brown sandstone quarry in the near-by town of Portland and 
hauled by some of the townsmen with several pairs of cattle 
from the quarry to the churchyard of Kensington. 

This same minister on Sunday morning, April 13, 1861, 
"was standing at the door of the church," we are told, "when 
Mr. Samuel Upson, at that time village postmaster, came in, 
bringing the news that Fort Sumter had been fired upon the 
day before. Mr. Hillard entered the pulpit, laid away his 
prepared sermon, and delivered a stirring patriotic address 
whose echoes rang in the town for many a day. During the 
following week the ladies of the church held a meeting, and 
made, without the aid of sewing-machines, the grand old flag 
which was hung from the belfry of the church at its completion, 
and continued to float in the breeze throughout the war." 

This flag is still carefully preserved, and is an honored 
relic which no longer stirs personal or sectional feeling, as in 
those days of civil war, but tells now of a united country that 
knows no North or South. 

I have given in some little detail the history of this ancient 
church and town, because it is typical of many another New 
England village, where the church has dominated its history 
and where the ministers of the gospel have led in every forward 
movement. 

And yet these were the ministers and theirs the theology 
which are so often decried in these days as hard, narrow, unsym- 
pathetic! a theology which is ridiculed and flouted in many 
quarters, but which both in New England and Old England has 
produced the greatest type of men and the noblest communities. 



101 



If there is any truth in the saying, for which we have good 
bcnptural authority, that men and institutions must be judged 
by their fruits, then this old New England theology need not 
be ashamed of the sturdy communities it has established the 
noble men it has sent forth, and the influence which still persists 
throughout our land as its chief saving, vitalizing influence 



25 
James A. Cowles 
Elizer Dudley 
Gideon Williams, Jr. 
Selab Parker 


13 

Ashel Brownson 
Sam'U Peck 
Martin Brownson 
Calvin Winchel 


5 






Ashbel Hooker 

27 
Augustus Glading 
Estir Hills 
Albert Norton 
Isaac Bottsford 
John Kent 
Abel Brownson 


Wd. Hopkins 


















21 

Matthew Judd 
Oliver Weldon 
Apleton Francis 
David Williams 
Stephen Norton 
Levi Banner 


9 
Oliver Peck 
Ozias Galpin 
Wd. A. Buck 
Selah Cowle.s 
Wd. Bottsford 
Isaac Feck 
Elisher Curtis 


Jal- 
Na 
Gic 
Job 
Gir 
Wc 
Jail 
Ro 

As 
Th 
Sai 
W( 
Da 


a 

ez Cowles 
;haniel Cole 
eon Williams 
n Allyn 
ieon Hills 
. Dickenson 
e Brownson 
ger Norton 


37 
Hosea Peck 
Orpha Norton 
Laury Cowles 
Sophia Dickinson 
Eunis Winchel 
Laury Andrus 
Sophia Cone 
Abigail Squire 


31 
Wd. Han. Kelsey 
Cyprian Gridley 
Linas Clark 
Edward M. Converse 
Horis Haskall 
Charles Brownson 
Wd. A. Wright 


15 
Stephen Banner 
Levi Stoddard 
Harvey Beckwith 
Elijah Hooker, Jr. 
John Cole 


iph Smith 
omas Hart 
Tiuel Williams 
i. Mary Hart 
niel Warner 








41 


1 

1 

1 

1 


33 
Joseph P. Finch 
Joel Yale 
Archibal Goodrich 
Rebeckah Merriam 
George Hooker 
William Goodrich 


23 
Gideon Dunham 
Joel Barnes 
Peleg Chapman 
Nathan Williams 
Samuel Hooker 
Hezekiah Stanley 


1 
: Caleb J. Hall 
; John Lee 
] Joseph Clark 

Salmon Cowles 

Lucy Nichols 

Amo.s Gridley 




39 


sr-, 
Joseph C. Doolittle 
Cyprian Lee 
Ruth Cole 
Hores Goodrich 
Enos Doolittle 
Selah Elsworth 
Enezer Elton 


1 
Salmon Winchel 
Edward Peck 
Theodore Elsworth 
Wd. Winchel 
Wm. Stocking 

1 














43 


1 

29 

Richard Cowles 

Thomas Haskall 

Wm. Kelsey, Jr. 
1 Abraham Stevens 

Wd. Susanna Parsons 

Ira Brownson 


1 
i Russel Cole 
Solomon Squire 
Wd. Saxton 
John Dunham 
Wm. Stevens 

i 
1 
1 



SEATING PLAN OF THE 



Wd. Langdon 
Wd. Jane Markeral 
Wd. Gridley 
Wd. Peck 



Luke Brownson 
Wm. Kelsey 
Sam'l Porter 
Wd. Ruth Hart 
Joseph Peck 



Stephen Winchel 
Ashbel Dickenson 
Seth Goodrich 
Joel Bunel 



12 



L. Stocking, Jr. 
Nathaniel Goflfe 
Asaph Smith, Jr. 
John Waterman 
Josiah M. Ward 



24 



2 

Ezra Scovil 
Hezekiah Judd 
Barnabas Dunham 
Hezekiah Winchel 
Noah Cowles 
Sam '11 Cowles 
Eldad Peck 


8 

Jesse Dickenson 
Oliver Stanley 
Thomas Hooker 
Samuel Hart 
Luther Stocking 
Wd. Abigail Parsons 


20 

Samuel T. Norton 
Azel Dickenson 
Timothy Bottsford 


6 

Amos Peck 
Hooker Gilbert 
Wm. Hooker 
Ally Smith 
Elijah Hooker 


14 

Titus Brownson 
Wd. S. Goodrich 
Timothy Chipman 
Gideon Norton 
George Andrus 
Wd. D. Parsons 


30 

Anson Smith 

Seth Hooker 

Ansel Stocking 

Urial Hooker 

Amena Carter 

Nathaniel Shepard, Jr. 



26 

Elijah Loveland 
Erastus Peck 
Eri B. Hart 
Halsey Norton 
Lemuel Richesson 



36 

Horis Hooker 
Norman Williams 
Horatio Gridley 
Abigail Kelsey 
Lucy Lee 
Seldon Peck 
John Lee, Jr. 
Jairus Winchell 
Lucy North 



10 

Selah Cole 
Joseph Doolittle 
Job Cole 
Lem'll Peck 
Nathaniel Shepard 
Jabz Langdon 
Asaph Cole 


22 

Wd. Lucy Hart 
Barnabas Dunham, Jr. 
Edward Norton 
Joseph Peck, Jr. 
Benjamin Allyn 


32 

Lydia Hart 
Fanna Scovil 
Linas Cowles 
Cyprian Goodrich 
Alven Hodchiss 
Norman Winchel 


18 

AUyn Smith, Jr. 
Moses Peck 
Hozeah Atwood 
; Chester Peck 
Benjamin Sweet 


34 

Cyprian Stanley 
Luman Cowles 
Dezire Peck 
Fanna Saxton 
Sally Norton 
Norman Warner 


38 



16 

Amadeus Bottsford 
Saxa Hooker 
Hannah Chipman 
Simeon Norton 
Seth Cowles 
Olive Parsons 



28 

Joseph Taylor 
Friend Street 
Wd. Williams 
Merit Cowles 
Stilmon Stanley 



MEETING HOUSE 1816 



ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEES 



General Committee, chosen January 0, 1910 

Rev. Carleton Hazen Mr. Henry H. Spooner 

Mrs. Sidney M. Cowles Miss Carrie Bauer 

Mr. Claude W. Stevens Mrs. Edward P. Dunham 

Dea. Samuel A. Hart 

This committee arranged for other committees as follows: — 

Historical Committee Program Committee 

Mrs. Sidney M. Cowles Rev. Carleton Hazen 

Dea. Samuel A. Hart Mr. Sidney M. Cowles 

Miss Alice Norton Miss Carrie Bauer 

Invitation Committee Transportation Committee 

Mr. Claude W. Stevens Mr. Robert H. Graham 

Miss Marjorie Moore Mr. Harold Upson 

Mr. Sidney M. Cowles Mr. Claude W. Stevens 

Entertainment Committee Cemetery Grades 

Mr. Thomas W. Emerson Mr. Claude W. Stevens 

Mr. Warren Upson Mr. Thomas W. Emerson 

Mrs. Jason Taylor Miss Alice Norton 

Mrs. C. Fred Johnson Mrs. Sidney M. Cowles 
Miss Pauline Bauer 

The Ladies' Society appointed the following committees: 

For the Reception 

Miss Marjorie Moore Miss Pauline Bauer 

Miss Lura Upson 

For the Supper 

Mrs. Fred H. Crane Mrs. Frank Stevens 

Miss Carrie Bauer Mrs. Willard I. Ailing 

Miss Edith Johnson 

Mr. Isaac Porter has given invaluable assistance in designing the 
memorial tablet, engrossing the names of the ministers, copying the portrait 
of Dr. Upson from an oil painting in possession of Mrs. D. A. Markham, 
and in preparing the illustrations for this volume. 

Miss Bertha Warren, a descendant from members of this church, but 
herself a member of the Worthington church, carved the memorial tablet. 

The General Committee was continued to arrange for the publication 
of the Anniversary Volume. The names of the officers and members of 
the church for the two centuries are appended, as they are prepared for a 
new Manual. 



PASTORS 



William Burnham, ministry began November 11, 1707, in the 
Great Swamp Society; ordained December 10, 1712; died 
September 23, 1750. 

Samuel Clark, ordained July 14, 1756; died November 6, 1775. 

Benoni Upson, D.D., ordained April 21, 1779; died November 
■ 13, 1826. 

Royal Robbins, ordained June 26, 1816 — June 26, 1859. 

Elias Brewster Hillard, installed May 16, 1860— February 27, 

1867. 

Abraham Chittenden Baldwin, July 5, 1868 — June 23, 1869. 

Alfred Tileston Waterman, installed June 23, 1869 — June 15, 
1874. 

James Bradford Cleaveland, September 1, 1875 — July 1, 1879. 

Cornelius Wortendyke Morrow, October 1, 1879 — April 10, 
1882. 

Arthur Jared Benedict, October 1, 1882 — installed May 3, 
1883— April 18, 1889. 

Henry Learned Hutchins, June 1, 1889— May 1, 1892. 

Magee Pratt, installed October 11, 1892— October 28, 1896. 

William Bodle Tuthill, ordained October 26, 1897— Novem- 
ber 26, 1899. 

Alonzo Ferdinand Travis, January 23, 1900— May 18, 1904. 

Edgar Hammond Olmstead, November 18, 1904 — November 
20, 1908. 

Carleton Hazen, February 21, 1909 — 



DEACONS 



Anthony Judd, 
Thomas Hart, 
Jonathan Lee, 
Huit Strong, 
Joseph Porter, 
Ebenezer Hart, 
Selah Hart, 
Noah Cowles, 
Asaph Smith, 
Samuel Peck, 
Caleb H. Austin, M. 
Hezekiah Stanley, 
Cyprian Goodrich, 
Isaac Bottsford, 
Roswell Moore, 
John Upson, 
Henry M. Cowles, 
William Upson, 
John D. Quill, M.D, 
Leander A. Bunce, 
Samuel A. Hart, 
Willis H. Upson, 
Sidney M. Cowles, 



March 10, 1713—1751. 

January 27, 1719— January 29, 1773. 

July 29, 1756— January 16, 1758. 

July 29, 1756— August 21, 1767. 

August 5, 1756— December 18, 1783. 

December 9, 1762—1773. 

before 1775— June 10, 1806. 

March 31, 1780— October 21, 1820. 

March 30, 1808— April 9, 1821. 

January 29, 1818— March 19, 1833. 
D., November 23, 1823—1825.* 

1826—1844 excused. 

November 10, 1834— July 15, 1864. 

October 29, 1835—1845 watch withdrawn. 

1844— January 1, 1857. 

July 28, 1860— October 17, 1875*. 

July 28, 1860— January 2, 1898.* 

March 4, 1870— March 30, 1904. 
, December 31, 1886— February 21, 1889.* 

December 31, 1886— March 1897.* 

January 10, 1897— 

August 7, 1904— April 1, 1909. 

January 6, 1910 — 



• Removed from town. 



SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS 



Horatio Gridley, (according to tradition) 

Sheldon Moore, ... 

Horace Haskell, - - . 

Sheldon Moore and Dea. Isaac Botsford, 

Milo Hotchkiss, 

Thomas Upson, - _ _ 

Roswell Moore, - - _ 

Ozman D. Goodrich, M.D. 

Gustavus Upson, - _ _ 

Ira Kent, - - . - 

William Upson, ... 

Samuel Upson, . . _ 

George Cowles, 

John Upson, - - - . 

Henry M. Cowles, ... 

Horace K. Jones, ... 

Frank G. Otis, 

Theron Upson, - - _ 

Leander A. Bunce,- - - . 

Willis H. Upson, 

Rev. Arthur J. Benedict, 

John D. Quill, M.D. 

Arthur W. Upson, - - . 

Thomas W. Emerson 

Norman W. Warren - - - 



1819 

1832 

1835 

1836-40 

1841-2, 54 

1843-4 

1845, 48, 55 

1846-7 

1849-51 

1852-3, 57 

1856, 90 

1858, 75-August 1880 

1859 

1860, 63-4 

1861-2, 72-4, 89 

1865-6 

1867-April 1, 1868 

1868-71, 81, 85-7 

September 1880 

1882 

1883 

1884, 1888 

1891-1904 

1905-6, 8, 11-13 

1907, 9-10 



MEMBERS RECEIVED 



(♦Names repeated.) 



December 10, 1712 
William Burnham, Pastor 
Stephen Lee 
Mrs. Stephen Lee 
Anthony Judd 
Samuel Seamor \ 

Mrs. Samuel Seamor / 
Thomas North 
Thomas Hart 
Sarah Hart 
Caleb Cowles 



March 2, 1713 
Isaac Norton 
Elizabeth Norton 
Benjamin Judd 
Mrs. Benjamin Judd 

February, 1719 
Samuel Brownson 
Abigail Brownson 
Daniel Andrus 
Samuel Hubbard 
Joannah Hubbard 
Ebenezer Gilbert 
Samuel Peck 
Abigail Peck 



Rev. Samuel Clark's List of Members in 1756 



Joseph Beckley 
Sibil Beckley 
Amos Peck 
Joseph Hopkins 
Elizabeth Hopkins 
Bela Strong 
Moses Brownson 
Hannah Brownson 
Mrs. Joannah Hubbard* 
Catherine Judd 
Samuel Steel 
Hannah Steel 
John Hinsdale 
Elizabeth Hinsdale 
Timothy Brownson 
Amos Judd ) 
Kesia Judd j 
Mrs. Sibbil Winchell 
Mrs, Martha Hart 
Abigail Hart 
Mrs. Sarah Nott 
Mrs. Mary Hart 
Mrs. Ann Beckley 



John Hooker 
Mary Hooker 
Samuel Hooker 
Mary Hooker 
Mehitabel Hooker 
John Cowles 
Job Cole 
Lydia Cole 
Isaac Hurlbut 
Samuel Lankton 
Mary Lankton 
George Hubbard 
Moses Peck 
Sarah Peck 
Ezekiel Kelsey 
Sarah Kelsey 
Benjamin Sage 
Abigail Sage 
Jonathan Edwards 
Elizabeth Edwards 
Samuel Gridley 
Rebeckah Gridley 
Mrs. Mercy Treat 



109 



Elisha Cole 

Samuel Cowles 

Sarah Cowles 

John Cowles 

Stephen Cole / 

Matthew Cole/ 

Timothy Hubbard 

Abiah Hubbard 

John Beckley 

Mary Beckley 

Isaac North 

Mary North 

Ann Steel 

Mrs. Ann Burnham 

Ashbel, (negro) 

Ebenezer Hart 

Elizabeth Hart 

Isaac Hart 

Elizabeth Hart 

Samuel Thompson 

Sarah Thompson 

Mrs. Martha Norton 

Jedediah Norton 

Acsah Norton 

Elnathan Norton 

Rachel Norton 

Joseph Deming 

Thomas Goodwin 

Sarah Goodwin 

John Gridley 

Ruth Gridley 

Johnathan Gilbert 

Kezia Gilbert 

Samuel Peck* 

Elisha Peck 

Lydia Peck 

Mrs. Mary Hooker 

Mrs. Mary Beckley 

Mrs. Mary Andrus 

Mrs. Eunice Andrus 

Mrs. Jerusha Bartholomew 

Ann Porter 

Samuel Galpin 

Samuel Galpin, Jr. 

Abigail Galpin 

Mrs. Lois Peck 

Aaron Brownson 

Samuel Gridley, Jr. 

Hezekiah Winchell 

Mary Winchell 



Luke Stebbins 
Mrs. Abigail Brownson* 
Elisha Brownson 
Sarah Brownson 
Jonathan Lee 
Mary Lee 
Lucy Lee 
John Lee 
Sarah Lee 
Elijah Peck 
Mary Peck 
Mrs. Abigail Cowles 
Daniel Cowles 
Martha Cowles 
John Gilbert 
Eunice Gilbert 
Josiah Boardman 
Rachel Boardman 
Isaac Norton* 
Ehzabeth Norton* 
Abraham Pierson 
Sarah Pierson 
Samuel Peck, Jr. 
Mrs. Hannah Porter 
Mrs. Ruth Porter 
John Cole 
Mrs. Cole 
Mrs. Elizabeth Gridley 
Judith Gridley 
Joseph Porter 
Hannah Porter 
Hannah Newel 
Job Norton 
Susannah Norton 
John Kirby 
John Squire 
Elizabeth Squire 
Elisha Goodrich 
Rebekka Goodrich 
Abijah Peck 
Abigail Peck 
Mrs. Elizabeth Galpin 
James Steel 
Mercy Steel 
Daniel Beckley, Jr. 
Ruth Beckley 
Richard Hubbard 
Josia Burnham 
Ruth Burnham 



110 



Charles Kelsey 
Mehetebel Kelsey 
Watts Hubbard 
Mary Hubbard 
David Sage 
Bathsheba Sage 
Roger Norton 
Huit Strong 
Mrs. Ruth Burnham 
Elisha Burnham 
James Hurlburt 
Mrs. James Hurlburt 
Ebenezer Gridley 



Amos Gridley 
Nathaniel Winchel 
Nathaniel Winchel, Jr. 
Moses Deming ] 
Sarah Deming j 
Thomas Standly 
Martha Standly 
Charles Brownson 
Samuel Smith 
Josiah Brownson 
Mrs. Martha Beckley 
Nathaniel Dickinson 
William Allis 



Members of the New Britain Church from Kensington, 
April 19, 1758 



Hannah Seymor* 

Mary Andrus 

Anna Booth 

Elizabeth Lee* 

Benjamin Judd* and wife* 

Joseph Smith 

Rebeckah, wife Daniel Dewy 

Hannah, wife Gideon Griswold 

Martha, wife Samuel Goodrich 

Joseph Smith, Jr., and wife 

Jedediah Smith and wife 

Josiah Lee and wife 

Isaac Lee and wife 

Stephen Lee 

James Judd 

Uriah Judd and wife 



1756 
Mrs. Jerusha Burnham 
Mrs. Lydia Hubbard 
Mrs. Sarah Hubbard 
Mrs. Servia Allis 
Joel Mitchel 
Seth Hooker 
Job Heart 
Eunice Heart 
Aaron Porter 
Thomas Gridley 
Hannah Gridley 

1757 
Hezekiah Winchell 
Mrs. Elizabeth Deming 



Nathan Judd and wife 
Phineas Judd and wife 
John Judd and wife 
Joshua Mather and wife 
Elijah Hart and wife 
Judah Hart 
Elijah Hart, Jr.* 
Moses Andrus and wife 
William Paterson 
Widow Hannah Root 
John Kelsey and wife 
Joseph Woodruff and wife 
Simmons Woodruff and wife 
Jedediah Goodrich and wife 
Nathan Booth and wife 
Ladwick Hotchkiss and wife 



Mrs. Azubah Gridley 
Mrs. Deborah Gridley 
Jonathan Lankton 
Daniel Elderkin 
Mrs. Sarah Steel 
Mrs. Azubah Gridley 
Mrs. Keziah Cole 
Elijah Heart 

1758 
Mrs. Rachel Norton 
Mrs. Mary Hills 
Peet Galpin 
Mrs. Rebekah Heart 
Ephraim Hollister 
Daniel Root 



Ill 



Mrs. Lydia Root 
Jedldiah North 
Sarah North 
Mary North 
Hezekiah Heart 
Mrs. Heart 
Mrs. Esther Dunham 



1759 
John Beckley 
Ruth Beckley 
Mrs. Lois Galpin 
Rhoda Kelsey 
Sollomon Dunham 
Elizabeth Dunham 
Mrs. Mary Galpin 
Zacheriah Heart 
Elizabeth Heart 
Sarah Parsons 
Elizabeth Edwards 



1760 
Jacob Andrus 
Mrs. Sarah Hooker 
Betty (negro) 
Mrs. Martha Heart 
Ashbel Hooker 
Matthew Heart 

1761 
Jacob Deming, Jr. 
John Bartholomew 
Job Root 
Thomas Gilbert 



1762 
Moses Dickinson 
Silas Brownson 
William Patison 
Mrs. Patison 
Samuel Porter 1 
Elizabeth Porter J 
Samuel Brownson 
Cloe Brownson 
Ozias Brownson 
Abigail Brownson 
Ebenezer Sanford 
Mrs. Sanford 



1763 
Rebekah Beckwith 
Joseph Wells 
Mary Wells 
Selah Heart 
James Barret 
Mrs. Barret 
Mrs. Ann Hopkins 

1764 
Amos Clark 
Mrs. Clark 
Samuel Goodrich 
Mrs. Goodrich* 

1765 
Noah Cowles 
Nathaniel Heart 
Samuel North 
Mrs. North 
Asahel Cowles 
Rachel Cowles 
Isaac Heart, Jr. 
Mrs. Heart / 

Elisha Lewis 
Tamar Lewis 



1766 
Salmon Hurlbut 
Mrs. Ann Cowles 
Mrs. Mary Burnham 
John Allen \ 
Ruth Allen / 
Mrs. Jerusha Clark 

1767 
Mrs. Elizabeth Pattison 
Mrs. Sarah Hooker 
Elijah Thompson 
Sarah Thompson 
Joseph Spalding 

1768 
Stephen Norton 
Lydia Norton 
Mrs. Lois Sage 
John Goodrich 
Hannah Goodrich , 
Mrs. Elizabeth Heart 



112 



1769 
Gideon Judd 
Robert Barret 1 
Elizabeth Barret ' 
Mrs. Susanah Seymour 
Samuel Heart 

1770 
Sarah Barret 
Daniel Cowles, Jr. 



1771 
Samuel Gilbert 
Ebenezer Heart, Jr, 
Lydia Heart 
Joseph Peck 
Sarah Peck 
Mrs. Ruth Heart 

1772 
Solomon Rugg 
Mrs. Mary Salvage 
Asa Brownson 
Stephen Cole 
Lucy Cole 

1773 
Mrs. Mary Norton 

1774 
Mrs. Mary Sage 
Seth North 
Eunice North 
Zeabous Deming 



1779 
Rev. Benoni Upson 
Mrs. Hephzibah Deming 
Mary Hurlbert 
John Belding 
Sarah Belding 
Matthew Cole 
Rhoda Cole 
Elizabeth Gridley 
Mrs. Huldah Bronson 
Mrs. Titus Bronson 
Mrs. Anne Bronson 
Mrs. Mercy Persons 
Nathaniel Bronson 
Mrs. Livia Upson 



1780 

Ebenezer Elton 
Rhoda Elton 
Noah Root 
Eldad Peck 
Mrs. Huldah Atwood 
Widow Sarah Cole 
Mrs. Patience Peck 
Mrs. Mary Peck 
Mrs. Joanna Hewlit 
Mrs. Sarah Gridley 

1781 

Widow Sarah Flagg 
Caleb Hopkins 
Mable Hopkins 
Abner Paine 
Rebecca Paine 
Mrs. Mary Root 
Mrs. Lois Winch el 
Titus Bronson 

1782 

Solomon Winchell 
Seth Goodrich 
Elijah Gridley 

1783 

Mrs. Mary Cole 
Abraham Gridley \ 
Mrs. Gridley ( 

Widow Betsey Scovil 
Mrs. Abigail Williams 
Mrs. Azubah Scovil 
Mrs. Mary Cowles 
Susannah Norton 
Noah Fuller 
SalmxOn Heart 
Daniel Sniith 

1784 

Mrs. Sarah Stocking 
Mrs. Susannah Dickinson 

1785 

Hezekiah Judd 
Olive Persons 



113 



1786 
Roger Norton, Jr. 1 
Hannah Norton / 
Samuel Stebbins 
Sarah Stebbins 
Abigail Galpin 

1787 
James Percival 
Ozias Cowles 
Lucy Cowles 
Gideon Hart 
Synthia Hart , 
Abigail Cowles 



1788 
Jonathan Seymour 
Abigail Seymour 
Thomas Gridley 
Mrs. Gridley 



1790 
Mrs, Olive Stocking 
Mrs. Lucy Smith 

1791 
Widow Martha Strickland 
Joel Bunnel 
Mrs. Bunnel 
Elijah Hooker 
Mrs. Hooker 
Mrs. Mindwell Bronson 
Drusella Barret 

1792 
Mrs. Theodosha Peck 
Sally Hooker 

1793 
Mrs. Carolina Andrus 
Mrs. Asahel Bronson 

1794 
Asaph Smith 
Mrs. Smith 
Asahel Bronson 

1795 
Widow Alford 
Widow Lois Andrus 
Capt. Samuel Jacobs 



1796 
Mrs. Daniel Root 
Widow Atwood 
Abigail Buck 
Mrs. Ehzabeth Gladding 

1797 
Stephen Barrit 
Mrs. Sabria Andrus 

1798 
Mrs. Submit Peck 
Mrs. Oliver Peck, Jr. 

1800 

Mrs. Hannah Smith 
Widow Sabria Stanley 
Mrs. Polly Maria Peck 
Sally Persons 
Mercy Persons 



1801 
Amadeus Botsford 
Mrs. Botsford 

1802 
Isaac Botsford 
Mrs. Botsford 
William Hills 



1803 
Widow Huldah Merriam 

1804 
Widow Olive Wiard 

1805 
Mrs. Rosetta Williams 

1806 
Mrs. Lucy Hart 
Caleb J. Hall 
Mrs. Hall 
Mrs. Lois Parker 



1807 
Mrs. Tabitha Barrit 
Capt. Amos Porter 
Mrs. Porter 
Capt. John Allen* 
Ruth Allen* 



114 



1808 

Mrs. Lois Judd 
Luther Stocking 
Mrs. Stocking 
Mrs. Rachel Goodrich 
Hannah Chipman 
Mrs. Dolly Stocking 
Mrs. Rebecca Peck 

1809 

Mrs. Olive Peck 
Mrs. Stephen Winchel 
Widow Elizabeth Percival 

1810 

Mrs. Betsey Botsford 
Mrs. Elizar Dudley 

1811 

Calvin Winchel 
Mrs. Winchel 
Mrs. Hannah Hooker 
Widow Eunice Hills 

1812 
Widow Hannah Kelsey 

1813 

Mrs. Eunetia Cowles 
Mrs. Gideon Dunham 

1814 

Horace Haskell 

John Cole 

Mrs. Cole 

Mrs. Submit Street 

Mrs. Lydia Street 

1815 

Mrs. Charlotte Cowles 
Mrs. Edward Peck 
Horatio Gridley 
Mrs. Nathaniel Shepard 
Samuel Peck 
Richard Cowles 
Ann Bunnel 



1816 

Widow Dorcas Persons 

Sally Hopkins 

Mrs. Eunice Williams 

Mrs. Lowly Standly 

Mrs. Sarah Goodrich 

Widow Susannah Persons 

Stilman Stanley 

Ruth Hopkins 

Mrs. Lydia Peck 

Harriet Peck 

Lucy Anne Peck 

Mrs. Nancy Dunham 

Mrs. Lucy Smith 

Polly Lewis 

Amy Cole 

Sophia Cone 

Norman Winchel 

Julia Winchel 

Mrs. Lois Carter 

Almira Carter 

Lois Carter 

Rebecca Meriam 

Sarah Upson 

Cyprian Goodrich 

Reuben Bronson 

Rev. Royal Robbins 

Mrs. Lydia Norton 

Mrs. Anne Crane 

Matthew Judd 

Mrs. Judd 

Elijah Hooker 

Mrs. Hooker 

Mrs. Abigail Kent 

Selden Peck 

Asaph Smith, Jr. 

Mrs. Charlotte Cowles 

Hezekiah Stanley 

Mrs. Stanley 

Russel Cole 

Mrs. Cole 

Samuel Hooker 

Mrs. Hooker 

Widow Ruth Hopkins 

Esther Hills 

Lucy Lee 



1817 



John Bronson 
Mrs. Bronson 



115 



Era B. Hart 
Mrs. Hart 
Harriet Hulet 
Mary Botsford 
Seth Goodrich, Jr. 

1818 

Mrs. Anne Hart 
Mrs. Martha Robbins 
Mrs. Thankful Hills 
William Goodrich 

1819 

Mrs. Rosetta Cowles 
Sally Carter 



1820 



Polly Stanley 
Eunice Hall 



1821 

John Moore 
Mrs. Moore 
Lucy Bunnel 
Sally Dunham 
Eliza Langdon 
Mary Judd 
Maria Smith 
Maria Beckwith 
Polly Markham 
Chauncey Hart 
Daniel Sanford 
Mary S. Stevens 
Louisa Cole 
Harvey Beckwith 
Lavina Tryon 
Marilla Atwood 
Maria Atwood 
Luman Cowles 
Eliza Cowles 
Friend Street 
Mrs. Lucy Dickinson 
Amanda Johnson 
Amanda Strong 
Catherine Bunnel 
Walter Williams 
Seth Hotchkiss 



1822 
Isaac Peck 
Mrs. Betsey Norton 
Mrs. Hannah Cornwall 
Laura Cowles 
Ruth Hart 

1823 

Mrs. Melissa Bottsford 
Caleb H. Austin 
Sally E. Austin 

1826 
Timothy Chipman 
Abigail Kent 
Mrs. Rebecca Norton 
Mrs. Jerusha Hollister 

1828 
Mrs. Mary Beach 

1829 
Emily Hart 
Ezra Bottsford 



1830 
Henry Merriam 
Mrs. Merriam 
Laura Churchill 

1831 
Henry Dean 
Delia Ann Cowles 



1832 
Emily D. Cowles 
Mrs. Lucy Moore 
Mrs. Lucy Peck 
Belinda Carter 
Mrs. Eunice Clark 
Mrs. Martha Peck 

1833 

Eli Carrington 
Diantha Carrington 
Sarah M. Peck 
Mrs. Mary W. Haskell 
Emiline D. Norton 
Sarah Hart 



116 



1834 
Catherine Hopkins 
Mrs. Catherine Strong 

1835 
Ruel Strong 
Edward Norton 
Albert Norton 
Ebenezer Hills 
Isaac Botsford 
William Bunce 
Roswell Moore 
George Cornwall 
Ira Kent 
Asahel Peck 
William Yale 
George Hooker 
Sally Hooker 
Eunice Hills 
Esther Bottsford 
Martha Stocking 
Frances Ann Robbins 
Edward Norton, Jr. 
Albert Roger Norton 
Margaret Norton 
Hannah Chipman 
Emeline Bunce 
Milo Hotchkiss 
Rhoda Hotchkiss 
Polly Yale 
Elizabeth Steadman 
Mehetable Bronson 
Mrs. Aruhna Williston 
Mrs. Matilda Graham 
Lucy Cowles 
Mrs. Eliza Ann Yale 
Timothy Bottsford 
Mrs. Sarah Peck 
Amy Ann Langdon 
Mary Ann Williams 
Sheldon Moore 
Susan L. Moore 



1836 
Jabez Langdon 
Amy Langdon 
Fanny Scovil 
Louisa Kent 
Avery Hough 
Almyra Hough 



Mrs. Mary Stoddard 
Eliza Dickinson 
Mrs. Lydia Judd 
Jane Cornwall 
Livia U. Norton 

1837 
Harriet Norton 
Mrs. Mary Ann Cowles 

1838 
Charles Moore 
John Upson 
Edward Cowles 
Leuman Cowles 
Nelson Cowles 

1839 
Thomas Upson , 
Jerusha Upson j 
Samuel Upson 
Mrs. Emiline Loveland 

1840 
Mrs. Nancy Goodrich 
Edward W. Robbins 
William M. Deane 
Mrs. Mary Dickinson 
Huldah Bottsford 

1841 
Mrs. Charlotte Buck 
Mrs. Roxanna Peck 
Abel Bronson 
Royal E. Robbins 
Mrs. Emily Lee 
John G. North 
Mary A. Williams 

1842 
Stephen Austin 
Mary Austin 
Henry S. Durand ] 
Caroline B. Durand/ 
Rhoda A. Roys 
Caroline C. Bottsford 
Mrs. Elizabeth B. Robbins 
Cyrus Miner 
William B. Hovey 
Mrs. Anne Deane 



117 



Mrs. Emeline Judson 
Mrs. Minerva Langdon 
Elizabeth E. Stocking 
Sarah H. Durand 
Jane A. Kellogg 
Frances E. Morton 
Harriet Hotchkiss 
William Johnson 
William Upson 
James Williams 
Cornelia S. Thresher 
Jane M. Thresher 
Frances A. Durand 
Jane A. Hooker 
Ellen E. Moore 
Mary Hamlinton 
James H. Gladden 
Martha Gladden 
Mrs. Moses Lyman 



1851 

Charles Allyng ] 
Delia A. Allyng j 
Mrs. Marriett Moulthrop 
Mrs. Sarah Langdon 
Mrs. Rhoda Hall 
Sarah Kent 
Sarah Dunham 
Elizabeth D. Allyn 
Henry M. Cowles 
Mary Dunham 
Mary Ritchie 
Alice Rachel Upson 
Ann Butler 
Dumont R. Carey 

1852 
Mary W. Hart 



1843 
Birdseye Judson 
Mrs. Freelove Carey 
Mrs. Julia E. Wright 
Mrs. Delia Carey 
Osman Goodrich 
Emeline Goodrich 
Mary Beckley 
Edgar Beckley 
Mrs. Emily Upson 

1844 
Ellen Botsford 
Mrs. Wheeton 

1845 
Albert R. Norton 

1847 
Tabitha Hotchkiss 

1848 
Gustavus Upson 
Harriet Maria Beckley 
Sarah Austin 
Eliza Bunnel 

1850 
Arabella H. Upson 



1853 

Frederick Norton 
Mrs. Mary Dunham 

1854 

Ira Cole 

Melissa Cole 

Mrs. Olive Lorraine Stocking 

Ruth Root 

Seth P. Upson 

Leander A. Bunce 

Sarah Eunetia Cowles 

James Wells Belden 

Eliza Maria Stanley 

Mary Ann Loveland 

Mrs. Betsey Dudley 

Jonathan T. Hart 

Maria Hart 

1856 

Mrs. Jane S. Norton 
Samuel Upson 
Ann C. Upson 

1857 

Mrs. Hannah R. K. Peck 
Francis Eugene Felix 
Sarah Jane Muir 



118 



1858 
Samuel Milo Hotchkiss 
Brian Newel, Jr. 
William Cyprian Goodrich 
William John Ritchie \ 
Mary Ritchie / 

Mrs. Ellen Ann Babcock 
Alice Peck 

Harriet Isabella Norton 
Jane Loveland 
Julia Elizabeth Dunham 
Theodosia W. Dunham 
Ellen Ann Cole 
Margarette Upson 
Frances Maria Upson 
Harriet Hotchkiss* 
Ann Maria Austin 
Mrs. Mary Caroline Steadman 
James Lyman Hall 
Freeman Smith Williams 
Cornelius W. Dunham 
Martha Peck 
Isaac H. Upson 

1859 
Birdseye Judson Beckley 
John Upson 
Cornelia J. Upson 

1860 
Mrs. Olivia C. Hart 
George Cowles 
Mrs. Cowles 
John C. Graham 
William White 



1861 
Mrs. Sophia M. Kent 
Ellen Catherine Kent 
Nathan Smith Thresher 
Mary Jane Thresher 
Leverett H. Gladding 
Mrs. Mary Ann Morgan^ 
Elias B. Hillard 
Julia W. Hillard 
Selden Peck* 
Lucy H. Peck* ^ 
Mrs. Susan Peck 
Martha E. Robbins 
Woodford Kil bourn 
Lucy Kil bourn 



1863 
Mrs. Lucy Maria Munson 
Jason Jerome Graham 
Mrs. Vienna Dunham 
Louisa Maria Hart 
Sarah Woodruff Hart 
Mrs. Clara R. Woodruff 

1865 
Horace K. Jones 
Franklin J. Pratt 
Mrs. Matilda Brooks 
Mrs. Ellen Brooks 
Mrs. Sarah E. Bacon 
Mrs. Charlotte Wright 

1866 
Mrs. Mary Ann Morgan* 
Louisa M. Brooks 
Mrs. Eliza W. Cowles 
George Frank Otis 

1867 
Ruth Hastings Jones 
Mrs. Fidelia Upson 

1868 
Mrs. Mary Dunham 
Franklin M. Alford 
Lucy R. Alford 
Theron Upson 
Mrs. Ann Maria Moore 
Julia Pickett 
Florence M. Cole 
Ann Jeanie Ford 

1869 
Mrs. Julia Kellogg 
Louise M. Upson 
Fanny Hotchkiss 
Amelia Elizabeth Upson 
Julia Whittlesey Upson 
Mary Eliza Edwards 
Rev. Alfred T. Waterman 
Emily S. Waterman 
Norman Woodruff 
Abigail Woodruff 
Mrs. Mary B. Cole 
Elizabeth Boone 
Dora J. Norton 



119 



Mrs. Alonzo Dunham 
John P. Connell 
Wilbur B. Langdon 
John C. Hall 
James Woodruff 
Gideon Dunham 
Leander P. Jones 
George Dunham 
Hiram Collins 
Nelson A. Moore 

1870 
Grace Naaman 
Mrs. Elizabeth C. Bailey 
Kate Cornelia Brown 
Mary Herlena Brown 
Marian Elizabeth Palmer 

1871 
Julia Bacon 
Edward J. Langdon 

1872 
Harriet Jane Norton 
Elizabeth Upson 
Edward 0. Manley 
Frances M. Manley 
Mrs. Louisa Atwood 
Samuel J. Wright 
Elizabeth L Chapman 
Royal Robbins Upson 
Mrs. Mary Ann Newton 
Mrs. Hattie Bunce 
Mrs. Clarissa J. Graham 

1873 
Mrs. Eliza Allen 
Mrs. Ella M. Smith 
Mrs. Marion R. Robbins 

1874 
James B. Reed 
Mrs. Aurelia Upson 

1875 
Lucy J. Upson 
Mrs. F. G. Chapman 



1876 
Henry L. Newcomb 
Abby J. Newcomb 
Mrs. Emma E. Dunham 
Harriet E. Upson 
Willis H. Upson 
George L. Chapman 
Grace E. Upson 
Elizabeth A. Reed 
Robert L. Peck 
Giles K. Peck 
Alice E. Peck 
Constance N. Jones 

1877 
Mrs. Cordelia Champlin 
Nellie E. Upson 
Benjamin A. Upson 
Minnie D. Baldwin 
Mary E. Cowles 
Isabel V. Loveland 
Marion E. Moone 
Arthur W. Upson 
George B. McL. Upson 
Henry G. Upson 
Robert McLavy 
Mary McLavy 
Alice McLavy 
Charles R. McLavy 
Alonzo McLavy 

1878 
Mrs. Jennie N. Goodrich 
Edward A. Cole 

1879 
Mrs. Frances Ella Stevens 
Francis Gillette Hart 
Leumas Pease Hart 
William Norris Daniels 
George Dutton Thresher 
William Lee Addis 
Edwin H. Butler 



1880 
Jonathan N. Hart 
Theron Upson 
Margarette Upson* 



Mrs. Elizabeth H. J. CleavelandGeorge B. Cowles 
Susan T. Cleaveland Mrs. Alice Deming Hart 

Livingston W. Cleaveland Mrs. Anne A. Hart 



120 



1881 

Mrs. Mary Michaux 
William H. Mason 
Alice Fitzgerald 

1882 
Mrs. Laura A. Hough 

1883 
Hester J. Cole 
Alice C. Upson 
Grace M. Langdon 
Rev. Arthur J. Benedict 
Ida R. Benedict 
Mrs. Sarah E. Upson 
Alice I. Bauer 
Mrs. Mary L. Warner 

1884 

Mrs. Jane F. Loney 
Elizabeth Norton 
Sara N. Norton 
Ida S. Hart 
Mary H. Upson 
John D. Quill, M. D. 
Mary P. Quill 
Mrs. Elizabeth T. Thresher 
Henry W. Lawrence 
Mrs. Mary E. Bunnell 
Mrs. Mary L. Merwin 
Mrs. Lucy C. Stocking 
Zana L. Stocking 
Minnie J. Elton 
Mrs. Rosella Watrous 
Frances E. Graham 
Henry C. Cowles 

1885 

John E. Tubbs 
Helen E. Moore 
Lilian C. Burr 
Howard I. Dunham 
Mrs. Marietta P. Hooker 
Jennie S. Hart 
Mrs. Clara E. Upson 
Ellen M. Moore 
Mrs. Mary C. Graham 
Natalie R. Marks 



1886 

George E. Butler 
Henry Dunham 
Frederick H. Crane 

1887 
Mrs. Louisa M. Cowles 
Walter M. Brown 
Samuel Ashbel Hart 
Minnie H. Thresher 
Sarah J. Gladwin 
Robert H. Graham 
Edith H. Brown 
Mrs. Maria M. Hubbard 
Mrs. Mary L. Taylor 
Sidney M. Cowles 
Emily Aulhorn 

1888 
Wallace R. Wells 
Anna E. Wells 
Lillie M. Corn well 
Lottie E. Corn well 
Mrs. Adella M. Taylor 
Mrs. Mary A. Woods 

1889 

Mrs. Sarah A. Goodrich 
Minnie E. Goodrich 
Ida Goodrich 
Olive M. Bauer 
Pauline M. Bauer 
George H. Baldwin 
Mrs. Catherine Hart 
Laura L. Crane 

1890 

Albert N. Butler 
Katherine S. Bunce 
Hattie B. Crane 
James Sloan 
Jennie S. Bunce 
Charles M. Strong 
Mrs. Strong 
Henry G. Norton 
Jane Norton 
Carrie M. Bauer 
Minnie A. Norton 
Langdon J. Peck 



121 



Robert Y. Gilbert 
Ethelbert A. Moore 
A. J. P. Moore 
Rhoda Baldwin 
Robert L. Peck* 
Harriet L. Peck 

1891 
Joel I. Butler 
Frederick G. Taylor 
Jennie S. Loney 
Mrs. Carrie E. Reynolds 
Rev. Henry L. Hutchins 
Mary A. Hutchins 



1892 
Mrs. Ida L. Cotton 
Mrs. Catherine C. Plimpton 
Catherine M. Hubbard 
Maude Merwin 
Abigail M. Merwin 
Elizabeth Van D. Norton 
Florence L. Warner 
Rev. Magee Pratt 
Mary A. Pratt 

1894 
Era T. Hart 
Elizabeth Hart 
Inez Hart 

Mrs. Lizzie DeMers 
Mrs. May B. Morse 
Filippi Giona 
Luigi Marini 
Cesare Malerbo 
Dionigi Negri 
Rodolfo Gozzo 
Agostino Lanza 
John Mazzali 
Carlo Mazzali 
Joseph Brunn 
Mrs. G. Brunn 
Mrs. Sarah Crane 

1895 
Amy G. Elton 
Emerson V. Morse 
Frederick W. Thresher 
William E. Thresher 
Grace I. Thresher 



Minnie L. Cotton 
Martha E. Cotton 
Edith M. Graham 
Leo Greenbacker 
Cora M. Taylor 
Nan Norton 
Aaron W. Hall 
Howard J. Pratt 
Anna R. Dunham 
Hattie W. Harris 
Newton W. Baldwin 
Caroline A. Baldwin 
Mrs. Mary I. Hart 
Newton H. Baldwin 
Ellen Baldwin 
Mrs. Alice Deming 
Mrs. Clara Taylor 



1897 
Rev. William B. Tuthill 
Lillie H. Tuthill 
Benjamin F. Colby 
Una H. Colby 



1898 
Angeline Baldwin 
Edward P. Dunham 
Minnie Dunham 
Leumas P. Hart* 
Mrs. Marion Hart* 
Louise Hart 
Mrs. Louise E. Moone 
Mrs. Alice G. Hall 



1899 
Charles W. Graham 
Lillie J. Graham 
Mrs. Harriet I. N. Butler* 
Harriet R. Butler 

1900 
Emma Colby 
Rev. A. Ferdinand Travis 
Edith M. Travis 



1901 
Joseph Wilson 
Anna R. Wilson 
Orcott A. Moffatt 
Arabella Moffatt 



122 



Maude E. Moflfatt 
Edna L. Brown 
Frances L. Colby 
Mrs. Inez J. Crane 
Edith Johnson 
Julia F. Crane 
Arthur W. Cotton 
Albert F. Johnson 
Mrs. Louise Maas 
Harry E. Taylor 

1902 

John Emerson 
Thomas W. Emerson 
John Loney 
Walter E. Hart 
Henry H. Spooner 
Mary Spooner 
Winifred A. Spooner 
Ruth N. Spooner 
Lena V. Baldwin 
Charles J. Stuhlman 
Hazel M. Moffatt 
Estella P. Watrous 
Gertrude Hill 
Grace E. Stowell 



1903 

Frank Stuhlman 
Harold W. Upson 
Warren W. Upson 
Laura L. Baldwin 
John Emerson 
Mrs. Harriet L. L. Peck* 
Norman Van N. Peck 
Warren E. Watrous 

1904 

Joseph Lowden Wilson 
Matthew Hammond Griswold 
Carl Arvid T. Suneson 

1905 

Claude W. Stevens 
Edw^ard C. Dunham 
Lura H. Upson 
Helen M. Cowles 



Brucie J. Wilson 
Nettie Baldwin 
Norman W. Warren 
Rev. Edgar H. Olmstead 
Minnie L. Olmstead 
Clifford Whitham 
Louis R. Goodrich 
Frederic Lines Peck 
Oliver D. Kent 
G. Jennie Kent 
Alfreda W. Johnson 
Ellen M. Johnson 
Nellie Cecilia Hart 
Mrs. Harriet S. Woodruff 

1906 

Mrs. Catherine Atwater 
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Hutchinson 
Elizabeth Hutchinson 
Mrs. Carrie B. Hill 
Mrs. Ida M. C. Correll 
Mrs. Emma T. Stevens 
Herbert E. Heath 
William H. Baldwin 
Almon L. Smith 
John H. Grocock 
Clara E. B. Grocock 



1907 

Walter S. Lane 
Mrs. Lane 
Mrs. Mary S. Tucker 
Lawrence C. Porter 
John E. Johnson 
Thomas Thomson 
Agnes Thomson 

1908 

Edward U. Cowles 
Oliver Stowell 
Emma Martin 
Frank Orsie 
Clementina Orsie 
Frederic H. Norton* 
Mrs. Luise Martin 
Willis N. Fanning 
Alvina H. Fanning 



123 



1909 
Rev. Carleton Hazen 1 
Julia Trask Hazen j 
Clarence Beard Baldwin 
Jennie Smith Baldwin 
Raymond Roswell Watkins 
Mrs. Flora Hulbert Kent 

1910 
Lulah E. Ailing 
Loretta D. Ailing 
Cora I. Baldwin 
Lillian E. Cotton 
Anna E. Eckman 
Lillian E. Hall 
Ethel Hall 
Alice L. Hutchinson 
Helen M. Jones 
Anna C. Johnson 
John Ross 
Minnie W. Schmidt 
Mildred L. Taylor 
Janet Thomson 
Dionigi S. Negri* 
Jennie E. Negri 



1911 

Irene Viets 
Lidia Gisolo 
Robert Thomson 
Margaret Thomson 
Beatrice Thomson 
George L. Stearns 
Nellie Stearns 
Mrs. Alice Hall 
James A. Hall 
Amy Langdon Peck 



1912 
Joseph Albert Lean 
Emma Jane Lean 
Charles Frederick Johnson 
James Shepherd Thompson 
Margaret Muir Thompson 
David Ross Wilson 

1913 
Mrs. Benjamin Anderson 
Mary Louise Nelson 



